DECEMBER 17, 2020 • Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
TheCatholicSpirit.com
In this Year of St. Joseph, let us stand with him in adoration at the crib, in awe of a God who even in the most challenging of times keeps his promises. The Carpenter’s fatherly gaze can lead us to the greatest reason for hope, wrapped in swaddling clothes. May the tender love shared by the Holy Family be our strength this Christmas, and inspire us to humble service in the New Year.
CHRISTMAS GUIDE p. 2 | ST. JOSEPH CONSECRATION p. 5 | RACIAL JUSTICE PRAYER SERVICE p. 6 HOME CHAPEL p. 10 | COVID PATIENT’S GRATITUDE p. 12 | ARCHDIOCESE’S FINANCIAL REPORT p. 17
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DECEMBER 17, 2020
Christmas Guide Ideas and inspiration for celebrating the holidays To our readers, a very merry Christmas to you and yours! With gratitude, The Catholic Spirit team
Archbishop Hebda reflects on childhood traditions By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit
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s a child growing up in Pittsburgh, Archbishop Bernard Hebda had concrete experiences of the Advent and Christmas seasons, and still recalls how they shaped his attitudes and practices of these holy seasons. He took time to reminisce about his upbringing during a recent interview for the Rediscover: Hour on Relevant Radio 1330-AM. Two of his favorite family traditions were the Advent calendar, in which windows are opened daily to reveal Scripture passages or other messages about the birth of Jesus, and the Advent wreath, in which candles are lit during each of the four weeks of Advent as families gather around to pray, sing and talk about the coming of Jesus. “Advent was always an important time for us,” said Archbishop Hebda, the oldest of four siblings. “Every year, we would get an Advent calendar. … And then, we (the four children) would always jockey to see who got to open up the window (on the calendar) to see what was the theme for that day in Advent. For a little boy, that was something that was exciting, and it was something that I looked forward to.” But for him, it was more than just a fun activity. “It really does such a great job of conveying the sense of Advent, of waiting and expectation and hope,” he said. “It’s amazing how it was able to teach in that way.” As he grew older, his parents, Bernard and Helen, taught him a new Advent and Christmas lesson. They tried to impress on their oldest son how generous God is in giving his Son to the world. They did so by asking him — and later, his younger siblings — to pick one item in his Christmas stocking to give away. At first, he was instructed to lay it in front of the manger scene at his parish church, Resurrection in Pittsburgh’s Brookline neighborhood. In later years, he would pick one item and give it to one of his younger siblings, who then were instructed to do likewise with an item in their stocking. “It wasn’t supposed to be something you didn’t like,” he noted, stressing the importance of the concept of gift giving. “That’s one of the ways in which we prepare, is by trying to be Christlike in generosity.” There were plenty of fun traditions along the way as well, drawing from his mother’s Irish traditions and his father’s Polish traditions. Bowing to the Polish side, the family celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve, which featured a drive in their neighborhood and beyond to see the luminaria in people’s yards and on their sidewalks. But first came the meal, which had an unusual start. “As is typical in Polish households, you set the table and you send somebody out to wait for the first star, and that’s when you could start (eating),” he said. “And, I can tell you that growing up in Pittsburgh, you didn’t always see a star. Then, you just kind of pretend PLEASE TURN TO ARCHBISHOP HEBDA REFLECTS ON PAGE 19 ON THE COVER This mural of the birth of Jesus is located at Assumption in St. Paul. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Cathedral the canvas for spectacular light show Dec. 17-19 By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit
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he Cathedral of St. Paul will become the canvas Dec. 17-19 for a light and sound show about Jesus’ birth. From 6-9 p.m. those three evenings, British company Luxmuralis will project images on the Cathedral’s east-facing facade celebrating the Nativity story in a show called “Cathedral Illuminated: The Manger.” Spectators will be able to view the show from their cars along John Ireland Boulevard. The 12-minute production, which will run on a continuous loop each evening, is Luxmuralis’ U.S. debut. It features the art of sculptor Peter Walker and an original score by composer David Harper. The score will be broadcast to spectators on a “hyper-local” radio frequency, according to a press release. “Cathedral Illuminated: The Manger” is presented free by the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, a St. Paul nonprofit that aims to preserve the Cathedral as a world-class treasure. Luxmuralis’ other art projections have appeared throughout Britain and elsewhere in Europe. “Our Luxmuralis artwork is designed to present artwork in a way that brings the stories we represent to life, in new and contemporary ways,” said Walker, who is also Luxmuralis’ lead artist and artistic director, in a statement. “They are about showing the most striking images and curating sound and light in such a way that it reflects back at us the world around us. Each of our Christmas illuminations end on an image that is designed to bring art history, light and beautiful music to our audiences, from works of the renaissance to images of our world.” The show’s final artwork includes the Black Madonna and Child stained-glass window from Our Lady of the Assumption in Charlotte, North Carolina. The show will run concurrently with a show at the Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire, England, “showing accessibility for all and unity between our cities, which
COURTESY THE CATHEDRAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION
An undated photo of a Luxmuralis light production at the Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire, England. Luxmuralis is producing “Cathedral Illuminated: The Manger,” a sound and light show projected on the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul Dec. 17-19. The show is Luxmuralis’ U.S. debut. is key to our artwork,” Walker said. Per Gov. Tim Walz’s most recent COVID-19-related “Four-Week Dial Back” executive order, spectators should not walk to the show or leave their vehicles during the show. St. Paul police officers will direct traffic. The show will also be livestreamed 6-7:30 p.m. each day from The Cathedral Heritage Foundation’s Facebook page.
Jupiter, Saturn to put on ‘Christmas Star’ show at winter solstice By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service
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STAR EXPERT
once-every-two-decade conjunction involving the solar system’s two gas giants will give earthbound observers a look at a so-called “Christmas Star” on the winter solstice. Come sunset Dec. 21 in any time zone around the world, Jupiter and Saturn seemingly will merge into a single bright point of light low in the western sky. The Great Conjunction of 2020 will yield an expected spectacular astronomical sight involving the two planets unseen in nearly eight centuries. The two planets have been approaching conjunction — a point when planets or other bodies as seen from earth are near each other in the night sky — all year. That the conjunction is occurring near Christmas Day has given rise to talk about the Star of Bethlehem that the Gospel of Matthew describes in his telling of the birth of Jesus. But the description of the star “is a very minor part of the infancy narrative,” said Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, director of the Vatican Observatory. “It’s so unimportant that Luke doesn’t talk about it and yet it has captured our imagination.” It’s what the star represents — the birth of Jesus — that is the real story, Brother Consolmagno said. Theories abound about the Star of Bethlehem, he
The Catholic Spirit is published semi-monthly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 25 — No. 24 MOST REVEREND BERNARD A. HEBDA, Publisher TOM HALDEN, Associate Publisher MARIA C. WIERING, Editor-in-Chief JOE RUFF, News Editor
Brother Guy Consolmagno will discuss the conjunction and the Star of Bethlehem four times in online presentations between now and Dec. 22. One is for the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Sky at Night magazine at 1 p.m. Central, Dec. 17. Tickets cost 10 euros ($12.25). To register, go to skyatnightmagazine.com/virtual-lecture.
explained, citing the millions of hits about the topic on the internet and the 400 book titles referencing it that are available at online stores. “To me, asking ‘What was the star?’ is a lot of fun, but not particularly significant either astronomically or theologically. Nothing’s really at stake if it turns out to be this explanation or that explanation,” Brother Consolmagno said. Ideas about the Star of Bethlehem range from the natural — a great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter near the time of Jesus’ birth or a comet — to the supernatural as a sign from God. The conjunction will see bright white Jupiter and fainter, yellowish Saturn separated by 0.1 degree, about one-fifth the diameter of a full moon.
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DECEMBER 17, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 3
FROMTHEBISHOP ONLY JESUS | BISHOP ANDREW COZZENS
Incarnating Jesus Christ in our lives “A nd the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14). These words describe the event that changed the history of the world forever. An event that would have been unimaginable if it had not happened. The Eternal, All Powerful, Infinite, Divine Logos, the One who hung the stars and created the smallest molecules, the One through whom “all things came to be” (Jn 1:3), this One, humbled himself and took on our human nature and began life as a one-celled human embryo in the womb of Mary. When Jesus Christ took flesh in Mary’s womb, all of the created world was somehow touched and made new, because the divine life of God uniting with our human nature made it possible for human beings once again to have eternal life. This unseen event in the home of Mary in Nazareth would begin the restoration of the evil events that had cursed humanity (and still curse it today) because of the effects of sin in the world. The beginning of this restoration of life through the incarnation of Jesus Christ is what we celebrate at Christmas, and we will celebrate its fulfillment at Easter. God’s method of salvation also tells us about how this restoration has to happen in our lives and in our world. God saves us through the Incarnation, entering into our human life. He brings his divine life to humanity, in order that we might in turn sanctify our human lives. That is, he wants us to begin to live, even in this world, a divine life. The divine and living
Encarnando Jesucristo en nuestras vidas
“Y
el Verbo se hizo carne y habitó entre nosotros, y vimos su gloria, la gloria como del Hijo unigénito del Padre, lleno de gracia y de verdad” (Jn 1,14). Estas palabras describen el evento que cambió la historia del mundo para siempre. Un evento que hubiera sido inimaginable si no hubiera sucedido. El Logos Eterno, Todopoderoso, Infinito, Divino, Aquel que colgó las estrellas y creó las moléculas más pequeñas, Aquel a través de quien “todas las cosas llegaron a ser” (Jn 1: 3), Este, se humilló y asumió nuestra naturaleza humana y comenzó su vida como un embrión humano unicelular en el útero de María. Cuando Jesucristo se encarnó en el vientre de María, todo el mundo creado fue de alguna manera tocado y renovado, porque la vida divina de Dios uniéndose con nuestra naturaleza humana hizo posible que los seres humanos volvieran a tener vida eterna. Este evento invisible en la casa de María en Nazaret comenzaría la restauración de los eventos malvados que habían maldecido a la humanidad (y aún la maldicen hoy) debido a los efectos del pecado en el mundo. El comienzo de esta restauración de la vida a través de la encarnación de Jesucristo es lo que celebramos en Navidad y celebraremos su cumplimiento en Pascua. El método de salvación de Dios también nos dice cómo esta restauración tiene que ocurrir en nuestras vidas y en nuestro
presence of God in Jesus Christ does not cease to be with us when Jesus ascends to heaven. Rather, his Holy Spirit continues his divine presence in his Church, which is his body acting in the world. This happens certainly through the sacraments, which carry with them the effective power of his divinity to transform those who are open to their grace, but also through each member of the body of Christ, who becomes a living temple of God! Each of us, in some way, through our baptism becomes Jesus living in the world today. He wants to continue to live his divine life in and through you and me: Our actions, when they are filled with his love, become him loving and healing through us; our teaching, when it is in accord with his Word, becomes him making present eternal truth through us; our sufferings, when we unite them to him, become fruitful for the salvation of the world; and, most importantly, our prayer, when united with his great self-offering of the cross made present at Mass, becomes one with his true worship of the Father. The Incarnation, the divine life of God, continues in the world through us. This divinization (making divine!) of life was the goal of the Incarnation, but it doesn’t happen by magic. It happens by intention, as we seek to incarnate God’s truth and love into the concrete fabric of our human lives. This is why Christians have always developed patterns of living that help them make their days, weeks, months, years holy. We make the day holy by intentional practices like morning and evening prayer, daily meditation and examination of conscience. We make the week holy by fasting on Fridays to remember Christ’s death and setting aside
mundo. Dios nos salva a través de la Encarnación, entrando en nuestra vida humana. Él trae su vida divina a la humanidad, para que a su vez podamos santificar nuestras vidas humanas. Es decir, quiere que comencemos a vivir, incluso en este mundo, una vida divina. La presencia divina y viva de Dios en Jesucristo no deja de estar con nosotros cuando Jesús asciende al cielo. Más bien, su Espíritu Santo continúa su presencia divina en su Iglesia, que es su cuerpo actuando en el mundo. Esto sucede ciertamente a través de los sacramentos, que llevan consigo el poder efectivo de su divinidad para transformar a los que están abiertos a su gracia, pero también a través de cada miembro del cuerpo de Cristo, ¡que se convierte en templo vivo de Dios! Cada uno de nosotros, de alguna manera, a través de nuestro bautismo nos convertimos en Jesús que vive en el mundo de hoy. Quiere seguir viviendo su vida divina en ya través de ti y de mí: nuestras acciones, cuando están llenas de su amor, se convierten en Él amoroso y sanador a través de nosotros; nuestra enseñanza, cuando está de acuerdo con su Palabra, se convierte en él haciendo presente la verdad eterna a través de nosotros; nuestros sufrimientos, cuando los unimos a él, se vuelven fecundos para la salvación del mundo; y, lo que es más importante, nuestra oración, cuando se une a su gran entrega de la cruz hecha presente en la Misa, se vuelve una con su verdadero culto al Padre. La Encarnación, la vida divina de Dios, continúa en el mundo a través de nosotros. Esta divinización (¡hacer divina!) de la vida fue el objetivo de la
Sunday as the Lord’s day for worship of God and special time with family and friends. We make the months holy by feasting on feast days and fasting on fast days, by entering fully into the seasons of Advent and Lent, to prepare ourselves for the full celebration of Christmas and Easter. All this flows from the Incarnation. God entered our time, our human life, so through these intentional practices that sanctify time and daily life we are reminded of God’s presence with us. Thus, through prayer and service, our life becomes more divine. This is what it means to take the Incarnation seriously. It means that I set up my daily life so that the pattern of my life pushes me toward holiness. Especially as we begin this new year, you might ask yourself: God has become incarnate for me, to draw close to me, how am I incarnating his life and love in my daily, weekly, monthly life? Do I seek to sanctify the day through prayer? Do I seek to sanctify the week through keeping holy the Sabbath? Do I seek to serve others intentionally each month? Do I go to regular confession? Do I seek to live intentional Christian friendships? As part of preparation for the Archdiocesan Synod, during the season of Lent we will invite families and households to do what we are calling a “Synod at Home.” The purpose of this will be to help you concretely look at your rhythm of life and develop a plan for sanctifying your life more so you can live more the divine life you are called to by your baptism. As you give thanks to God for the incredible gift of God in Jesus Christ this Christmas, open your heart to God and ask him to show you how his becoming human can help you live more divine.
Encarnación, pero no ocurre por arte de magia. Ocurre por intención, mientras buscamos encarnar la verdad y el amor de Dios en el tejido concreto de nuestra vida humana. Es por eso que los cristianos siempre han desarrollado patrones de vida que les ayudan a santificar sus días, semanas, meses y años. Hacemos el día un día santo mediante prácticas intencionales como la oración matutina y vespertina, la meditación diaria y el examen de conciencia. Hacemos que la semana sea santa ayunando los viernes para recordar la muerte de Cristo y apartando el domingo como el día del Señor para adorar a Dios y un tiempo especial con familiares y amigos. Hacemos que los meses sean santos festejando los días festivos y ayunando los días de ayuno, entrando de lleno en los tiempos de Adviento y Cuaresma, para prepararnos para la celebración plena de Navidad y Pascua. Todo esto fluye de la Encarnación. Dios entró en nuestro tiempo, en nuestra vida humana, así que a través de estas prácticas intencionales que santifican el tiempo y la vida diaria, recordamos la presencia de Dios con nosotros. Así, a través de la oración y el servicio, nuestra vida se vuelve más divina. Esto es lo que significa tomarse en serio la Encarnación. Significa que configuro mi vida diaria de modo que el patrón de mi vida me empuje hacia la santidad. Especialmente al comenzar este nuevo año, podrías preguntarte: Dios se ha encarnado para mí, para acercarme a mí, ¿cómo estoy encarnando su vida y su amor en mi vida diaria, semanal, mensual? ¿Busco santificar el día mediante la oración?
¿Busco santificar la semana mediante la santificación del sábado? ¿Busco servir a los demás intencionalmente cada mes? ¿Voy a confesarme regularmente? ¿Busco vivir amistades cristianas intencionales? Como parte de la preparación para el Sínodo Arquidiocesano, durante la temporada de Cuaresma invitaremos a las familias y hogares a hacer lo que llamamos un “Sínodo en casa”. El propósito de esto será ayudarlo a mirar concretamente su ritmo de vida y desarrollar un plan para santificar más su vida para que pueda vivir más la vida divina a la que está llamado por su bautismo. Mientras le da gracias a Dios por el increíble regalo de Dios en Jesucristo en esta Navidad, abra su corazón a Dios y pídale que le muestre cómo el hecho de volverse humano puede ayudarlo a vivir más divino.
OFFICIAL Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis:
Effective December 1, 2020 Deacon Thomas Dzik, retired from diaconal ministry. Deacon Dzik has served the Archdiocese as a deacon since his ordination in 1981, most recently as deacon of the Church of Saint Thomas More in Saint Paul.
4 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DECEMBER 17, 2020
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With in-person visits to Santa hard to come by because of the pandemic, Good Shepherd in Golden Valley found a way. A member of the parish men’s club, Greg Wanzek, dressed as Santa, took a seat outside at the club’s tree lot stand and invited children and families to take socially distanced photos. From left, Julie Starosta, administrative assistant at Good Shepherd School, takes photos of Derek, Charlotte, Harrison (a firstgrader at the school) and Maria Pfeffer Dec. 5. The photos were part of festivities surrounding the club’s third annual tree lot, with proceeds benefiting the school. Parishioners also purchased trees for families in need. “It’s a great feeling,” said Nate Breunig, men’s club president, about giving trees to those who couldn’t afford them, “especially when you get to meet the people when they come and pick up their trees, and they’re so grateful. It just gives you a very good Christmas feeling and a very good Christian feeling to be helping these families in need.” The tree lot opened Thanksgiving weekend and continued the next weekend. The club sold 200 trees, with only a handful left by noon Dec. 5.
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 5
Year of St. Joseph begins locally and worldwide By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit As he prepared to open a Year of St. Joseph in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Archbishop Bernard Hebda received an unexpected boon Dec. 8 — Pope Francis was proclaiming the same year in the same time frame, for the entire Church. Noting the turn of events in his homily at a special Mass that evening at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, the archbishop proceeded with plans to consecrate the archdiocese to St. Joseph’s intercession and spiritual fatherhood. He also marked the universal Year of St. Joseph in a special way by calling on the foster father of Jesus to aid the archdiocese as it prepares for an Archdiocesan Synod in 2022. The archbishop said the pope’s action brings “more firepower” to the year, including offering a number of plenary (full) indulgences for actions taken during the Year of St. Joseph, even as the archdiocese offers opportunities for a partial indulgence. The archbishop credited his plan for the archdiocese to several local Catholics who approached him separately in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic about holding a Year of St. Joseph. It resonated with him, the archbishop said, in part because he had been considering the blessings it might bring to seek St. Joseph’s intercession as the archdiocese prepares for the Synod. “Who knew that Pope Francis would have the same idea?” Archbishop Hebda said, smiling. “I’m wondering how many of our persistent faithful were emailing him as they were emailing me.” In his homily, the archbishop said St. Joseph played an important role in salvation history as the protector of Jesus, the Son of God, and Mary, his immaculate mother. St. Joseph can play a similar role in today’s troubled times with a global pandemic, societal challenges to healthy family life, a crisis in loving and responsible fatherhood, and rough waters for the Church, Archbishop Hebda said. All of the faithful can benefit from St. Joseph’s intercession and example of tenderness, love, obedience, humility, courage, acceptance of others and powerful witness of God’s love for his people, the archbishop said. “He protected the Holy Family
‘Polka Padre’ and known sexual abuse perpetrator Father Kapoun dies at 82 Father Robert Kapoun, 82, died in Palmetto, Florida, Dec. 10. Ordained a priest in 1964, he was assigned to Most Holy Redeemer, Montgomery (1964-1967); St. Kevin, Minneapolis (1967-1971); St. Raphael, Crystal, (19711974); Home of the Good Shepherd, St. Paul (1974-1976); St. Patrick, Cedar Lake (1977-1984); St. Catherine, Spring Lake (1977-1984); St. Scholastica, Heidelberg (1984-1996); St. Joseph, Lexington (1984-1996); and St. Thomas, St. Thomas (1991-1996). Once known as the “Polka Padre,” Father Kapoun resigned from ministry in 1996 due to allegations of child sexual abuse. That year, he was the subject of a lawsuit against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that resulted in a jury awarding the victim $1 million in damages, then the largest abuse payout in the state’s history. He was the subject of other sexual abuse lawsuits and admitted to at least three accusations. He was removed from active ministry according to the norms of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in 2002. In 2013, the archdiocese included his name among priests with claims of substantiated abuse against them. — The Catholic Spirit
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Archbishop Bernard Hebda sits in the St. Joseph Chapel at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul before the Dec. 8 Mass to consecrate the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to St. Joseph. and facilitated Jesus’ growth in age and wisdom,” Archbishop Hebda said. “He has earned our trust.” “As we begin this celebration, in this time and place, at this time in history, it is my honor to inaugurate the year by consecrating our archdiocese to St. Joseph,” the archbishop said. “I invite all of us, whether here in the Cathedral, or dispersed throughout this archdiocese as virtual participants, to join me in consecrating our archdiocesan Church to St. Joseph.” The archdiocesan consecration Mass and Pope Francis’ opening of a Year of St. Joseph for the universal Church — from Dec. 8 this year to Dec. 8, 2021 — coincided with the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, which celebrates that Mary was conceived without original sin, and the 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX naming St. Joseph as patron of the Church. The Mass also included a prayer of consecration to St. Joseph and closed with a procession to the Cathedral’s Chapel of St. Joseph as the choir sang a Litany of St. Joseph. The Year of St. Joseph declared by the pope and consecration of the archdiocese to the saint — which
LOCAL HEADLINES u New Brighton abuse investigation clears accused priest, reveals likely perpetrator. In a Dec. 2 statement to St. John the Baptist in New Brighton, Archbishop Bernard Hebda said that the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment investigated an abuse claim made earlier this year against Msgr. Paul Koscielniak, who died in 1980. The investigation found evidence that the victim-survivor, now deceased, was likely abused as a boy in the 1970s on several occasions by an adult at the parish, but the evidence did not support the allegation against Msgr. Koscielniak, the parish’s pastor from 1950-1977. Instead, the abuser may have been Joseph Wajda, a transitional deacon at St. John the Baptist at the time who was later ordained a priest. Wajda was removed from ministry in 2003 due to credible accusations that he had abused minors. The allegations were substantiated and he was dismissed from the clerical state in 2016. Investigators were not able to interview the former priest, who is 73, due to his “present physical condition,” Archbishop Hebda said. u Chesterton’s Ahlquist named to National Board of Education Sciences. President Donald Trump has appointed Dale Ahlquist, a co-founder of Chesterton Academy, now in Hopkins, and president of the Chesterton Schools Network, to the National Board of Education Sciences, where he will help
includes entrusting the second year of the Archdiocesan Synod process to St. Joseph — bore fruit even before Dec. 8. Archbishop Hebda urged people to prepare for the inauguration of the year by engaging in a 33-day personal consecration to St. Joseph using a model developed by Father Donald Calloway, a priest of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, and outlined in Father Calloway’s book, “Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father.” Jim Noble, 65, and his wife, Eileen, 63, members of the Cathedral, completed the 33-day study and attended the consecration Mass. Noble said he had undertaken a similar personal consecration to St. Joseph about two years ago. “It’s a little bit like going to the Holy Land a second time,” Noble said. The first time, there is too much to take in. “Now, I am reading it perhaps more carefully, and things are more meaningful this time,” he said. Melina Arguello, 25, and her husband, Nestor, 31, attended the Mass with more than a dozen students from the University of St. Thomas’ Catholic Studies Latino Scholars program in St. Paul. The Arguellos coordinate the program, and they took advantage of the opportunity to gather prayerfully in a time that social gatherings are problematic because of the pandemic. “It was a huge gift to be brought together in community through the liturgy,” Arguello said. “It’s the only source of community we have.” Melina said she and Nestor also plan to do the 33-day personal consecration to St. Joseph. Larry and Faith McCaghy, both 79, of All Saints in Lakeville, have completed the personal consecration, and they participated in the Mass via livestream. Faith said their consecration was inspiring and enlightening. “It’s amazing to know how many saints and how many mystics have this knowledge of St. Joseph, and I never knew about it,” she said. After raising seven children and offering their home as a temporary home for children caught up in the judicial system, she said she wished she had known at that time to more strongly seek St. Joseph’s intercession. “We now make it a point to consecrate our days to Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” Faith said. “Just like my growing up years when every paper we submitted had ‘JMJ’ on the top.”
oversee and evaluate research on student performance and school effectiveness in American public education. The board is part of the U.S. Department of Education. Ahlquist is president of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton, which promotes the work of the British Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton. In the 12 years since Chesterton Academy’s 2008 founding, more than 30 other schools around the country and in Canada and Italy have adopted its model of a classical education, comprising the Chesterton Schools Network. u St. John Vianney College Seminary residence in St. Paul under quarantine. Twelve students at the undergraduate seminary tested positive for COVID-19 as test results came in Dec. 4 and into that weekend. COVID-positive students were moved out of the residence, which houses 105 seminarians, and into a quarantine dorm on campus or back home. Students who tested negative were allowed to return home if they wished, or remain in the building, said Father Michael Becker, SJV rector. The infected seminarians were in fairly good spirits and were healing, Father Becker said. u Six Catholic school teachers and students honored by Minnesota Independent School Forum. An organization dedicated to serving private and independent schools across Minnesota is honoring six Catholic school teachers and students this year, including elementary school teacher Jenelle Feckler of St. Odilia School in Shoreview and high school teacher Jen Lopez of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Minneapolis. The Minnesota
Independent School Forum also honored Totino-Grace High School in Fridley for its service immersion program. A complete list of awards can be found at misf.org/ed-awards. u Synod Faith and Culture Series begins in January to address Church teaching, sexuality, women, priesthood. A four-part speaker series will focus on important and sometimes misunderstood topics as part of ongoing preparation for the 2022 Archdiocesan Synod. Each installment of the Faith and Culture Series will include a 90-minute presentation with a talk, testimonials and a live panel discussion. Topics are: Jan. 21: Catholic Teaching, Jan. 28: Sexual Morality, Feb. 4: Dignity of Women, and Feb. 9: Priesthood. The topics were developed from what Catholics shared with Archbishop Bernard Hebda during the Pre-Synod Prayer and Listening Events held 2019-2020. Each presentation will begin at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Registration is at archspm.org/synod. u Minnesota Catholic Conference planning Catholics at the Capitol in April. A third, biennial gathering of Catholics at the State Capitol in St. Paul will take place April 15 with the theme of "On Mission for Life and Dignity.” Speakers will include Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference Catholic Bishops, and Obianuju Ekeocha, founder and president of Culture of Life Africa and a biomedical scientist in the United Kingdom. Early bird registration is expected to open in December at catholicsatthecapitol.org. — The Catholic Spirit
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6 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DECEMBER 17, 2020
Archdiocesan prayer service focuses on healing racial division By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit Opening a prayer service held in penance for the sin of racism and to promote racial justice, Archbishop Bernard Hebda said the faithful lament together the stark reality of racism in the world. “We hope to recognize in our prayer tonight at least some of the many ways, intentionally and unintentionally, that our words and our silence, our actions and our inaction, contribute to racial division,” the archbishop said Dec. 2 at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul. “We also hope to recognize what is needed to heal what divides us,” said the archbishop, who was joined at the prayer service by Bishop Andrew Cozzens. “Through our prayer of confession and for transformation, may the Holy Spirit inspire us.” The prayer service was part of a day of prayer and fasting in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis against the sin of racism, which began with a 7:30 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral. Father Michael Joncas, a priest of the archdiocese and artist-in-residence and research fellow in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, proposed the idea after the May 25 police-involved death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, an African American, that led to protests, rioting and soul-searching locally and across the country. Organizers limited attendance and encouraged social distancing and facial coverings to help prevent spread of COVID-19. The service was also livestreamed from the Cathedral’s Facebook page. Father Prentice Tipton Jr., an African American, delivered the homily. An alumnus of The St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan, in 2008. He is the rector of the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption and pastor of Holy Family, both in Saginaw. Father Tipton described what he calls “penitential
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Father Prentice Tipton Jr. of Saginaw, Mich., delivers the homily at the racism prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul Dec. 2. moments” — times for rendering an account to God for what people have done, what they have failed to do and what the nation has allowed. The evening’s Gospel presented one example, he said, with a crowd witnessing “the spectacle of the crucifixion,” watching Jesus die, then walking home beating their breasts. The evil of racism festers, in part, because as a nation, there’s been very little formal acknowledgement of the harm done to so many, he said. People must recognize it is a spiritual problem, not simply political, economic or social, he said. And God intends to bring together in the Church “that face of Jesus that’s black and that face of Jesus that is white — so that these two faces of Jesus Christ might become his one face in the Church,” Father Tipton said. Father Tipton said he believes that the Church is the venue for “a new thing” God wants between the races in America. “And … if the Church were to get this right, all of America, and I believe the whole world, will come
to her knees because the Church has found an answer, a remedy to the sin that has grieved a great nation for many, many centuries,” he said. Transitional Deacon Zephirino Tumwejunise, in formation for the Diocese of Kabale, Uganda, at The St. Paul Seminary, read seven petitions related to confessing sins, many related to racism. Archbishop Hebda followed each petition with a prayer. Denise Holland of Nativity of Mary in Bloomington said she attended in person with her husband, Lance, and their three school-aged children to discuss the issues and place them in the context of Catholic faith and spirituality. The family visited the George Floyd memorial at the site of his death on a south Minneapolis street this past summer and heard a “powerful sermon” given in a nearby parking lot by a pastor at a local church. “He shared his personal story of injustice,” Holland said, and how he moved through his anger and hatred by turning to God. “The only way forward in seeking racial justice as a community is through God,” she said. Earlier that day, Bishop Cozzens concelebrated Mass at the Cathedral with its rector, Father John Ubel. A stated intention for the Mass was to observe the day of penance and reparation. In his homily, Bishop Cozzens said racism is a grievous sin because it attacks the human family. “It’s this denial of the fact that we have the same Father, and that we all belong to him, and that each of us is created in his image,” he said. “That is, we all have the same dignity and we all have the same eternal destiny.” People need human justice, Bishop Cozzens said, but it won’t solve the problem. The only thing that will root out racism, he said, is what will root out all the other sins from people’s lives — the union of hearts with Jesus. To watch a recording of the prayer service go to the Cathedral’s Facebook page, facebook.com/cathedralsaintpaul.
Father Griffin served ‘compass points’ across the archdiocese By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit Father Patrick Griffin, 79, who served across the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 41 years of active ministry, died Dec. 8 at Catholic Eldercare in Minneapolis. He grew up on a farm south of the Twin Cities near Shieldsville, went to high school at Bethlehem Academy in Faribault, attended The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul and was ordained in 1967. Growing up in a rural Irish community helped form who he was, providing “a lens on the world of … hard work,” said Michael Griffin, Father Griffin’s nephew and a member of St. Olaf in Minneapolis. “You made your own fun, you cared for each other, you built community, you helped each other.” Father Griffin began his priesthood as assistant pastor of St. Andrew in St. Paul (1967), assistant pastor of St. Pascal Baylon in St. Paul (1967-1972) and as a faculty member at The St. Paul Seminary (1972-1973). He was associate pastor of Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul (1974-1975), associate pastor of St. Timothy in Blaine (1975-1981) and acting parish priest there from 19811983. Father Griffin was pastor of Risen Savior in Burnsville (1983-1988), pastor of St. Stephen in Minneapolis (19882004), canonical administrator at Risen Christ Catholic School (1998-2004), pastor of St. Anne in Minneapolis (20042005), parochial vicar of St. AnneSt. Joseph Hien in Minneapolis (20052006) and pastor of the former St. Philip
in Minneapolis (20042008). Growing up in the 1940s and 1950s, material wealth was not a big part of his life. “So, they appreciated … people FATHER PATRICK as front and center,” GRIFFIN Michael Griffin said. “And also, a really strong sense of inclusivity — the feeling that the Church needed to constantly
find ways to welcome people of all stripes and walks of life, and in order to build and be the kind of community that the Gospel called for.” Father Griffin officially retired in 2008 but continued to serve for about six years at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. Father John Bauer, the Basilica’s pastor and rector, said he got to know Father Griffin years before that. Father Griffin “was as genuine as they come,” Father Bauer said. “He always had a smile on his face and was able to laugh
at himself and his own foibles, and in his homilies, he would poke fun at (himself).” In addition to his nephew, Father Griffin is survived by his brother, John, his sister, Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Sheila Griffin, and many other nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Archbishop Bernard Hebda was to celebrate a funeral Mass Dec. 16 at St. Patrick in Shieldsville. A public memorial will be held at a later date. Father Griffin will be interred at the parish cemetery.
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LOCAL
DECEMBER 17, 2020
2020
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 7
February
u Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Auxiliary Bishop Andrew Cozzens travel
to Rome for their Jan. 13 “ad limina apostolorum” visit with Pope Francis. The bishops invite young adults from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and 25 men and women join them for a Jan. 9-18 visit that includes sacred sites of the Eternal City.
u The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office ends Feb. 1 its four-year
supervision of the archdiocese’s safe environment procedures in the wake of a child sexual abuse scandal. Archbishop Hebda vows to continue and strengthen Church efforts to protect children and others vulnerable to abuse.
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u After being named by Pope Francis as the next bishop of Sioux Falls,
South Dakota, in December 2019, Father Donald DeGrood, pastor of St. John the Baptist in Savage, is ordained Feb. 13 in Sioux Falls. He celebrates a Mass of thanksgiving at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul Feb. 16.
u The COVID-19 global pandemic spreads into Minnesota in March,
leading to temporary shutdown of Masses and other religious services, schools and businesses, and a suspension of the Sunday Mass obligation that continues into 2021.
u Bishop Cozzens in April announces formation of an Anointing Corps of more than a dozen priests wearing protective gear to administer last rites to patients in danger of dying of COVID-19. The team’s work continues into the new year.
u Archbishop Hebda and other Minnesota Catholic bishops challenge
March
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April
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Gov. Tim Walz’s restrictions as the state announces in May a re-opening of public religious services; an agreement is reached to expand the number of people allowed.
u George Floyd, an African American, dies while being arrested in
Minneapolis May 25. An officer is filmed kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes while Floyd repeatedly says, “I can’t breathe.” His death sets off protests, riots and national soul-searching on race relations. Local clergy join prayer events at the Floyd memorial.
u Worshippers, pastors and parish staff adjust to livestreaming Masses,
other ministries; as restrictions are loosened but the pandemic continues, in July the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis encourages parishioners to follow a state mandate requiring facial coverings indoors to help prevent spread of the virus.
May
u Most Catholic schools in the archdiocese open to in-person and hybrid
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learning in August and September while many public schools opt for distance-only learning. Catholic schools remain flexible to changing needs during the pandemic as distance-only and hybrid learning remains an option; no severe outbreaks are reported in Catholic schools.
u Republican President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden campaign
for the presidency. Amid protests by Democrats who insist a nomination to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg should not take place before the election, Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic, is nominated Sept. 26, receives Senate approval the next month and assumes office Oct. 27.
u Pope Francis Oct. 3 releases his latest encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti: On
Fraternity and Social Friendship,” outlining challenges and hope in the midst of COVID-19, consumerism and distancing of people from one another in the digital age.
u
iden is declared winner of the Nov. 3 presidential contest, despite B Trump’s insistence there was widespread fraud. Biden will be the second Catholic to hold the office. Trump also had faced articles of impeachment early in the year but was acquitted by the Senate Feb. 5.
August
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October
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November
u The Vatican Nov. 10 releases its long-awaited report on what Church
leaders knew of sexual misconduct and abuse allegations against former cardinal and priest Theodore McCarrick as he rose in Church ranks.
u Pope Francis Nov. 28 elevates Washington Archbishop Wilton Gregory to cardinal, the first African American to don the distinctive red zucchetto.
u The archdiocese continues its preparation for an Archdiocesan Synod,
set back from 2021 to 2022 because of the pandemic. Many events, including archdiocesan retreats on prayer and healing, are offered online. On Dec. 8, Archbishop Hebda consecrates the next phase of preparation and the archdiocese itself to St. Joseph, announcing a Year of St. Joseph. The decree is proclaimed by Susan Mulheron, the archdiocese’s chancellor for canonical affairs. — The Catholic Spirit
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DECEMBER 17, 2020
NATION+WORLD
Critical religious liberty disputes expected for 2021 By Tom Tracy Catholic News Service History may show that religious liberties under the Donald Trump administration enjoyed an elevated level of support not seen perhaps since the administration of President George W. Bush. How far and how quickly the religious liberties landscape will change in the coming four years under a Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration remains to be seen. But religious liberty watchers say they are worried. Daniel P. Dalton, an attorney specializing in religious property and co-founder of Michigan-based Dalton + Tomich, which represented a California-based private Catholic school in a contentious campus expansion and renovation effort, sees several key indicators that religious entities will continue to be in the legal and cultural spotlight in 2021. “From a big perspective, there will be a shift from the current to future administrations in terms of priorities and looking at what is important,” Dalton told Catholic News Service, noting U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and then his successor, Bill Barr, both championed religious liberty issues impacting faith traditions, with Sessions creating a Religious Liberty Task Force in 2018. Critics of the task force characterized the move as the Trump administration politically pandering to white, conservative evangelical Christian and Catholic voters who object to same-sex marriage, artificial contraception and abortion, transgender and LGBTQ rights and more. Dalton noted that the current director of the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Roger Severino, reportedly a Catholic, championed a conscience rule making it easier for doctors and health care workers to opt out of performing abortions or other medical procedures and services that violate their conscience. Severino had argued that previous administrations did not fully enforce existing law that protected health care workers’ “conscience rights.” A federal court in Manhattan and other courts challenged that rule, arguing it was far-reaching and gave workers a means to circumvent rules against discrimination. In 2019, Severino announced a final rule to protect individuals and health care entities from discrimination on the basis of their exercising conscience rights in HHS-funded programs. He said the rule “ensures that health care entities and professionals won’t be bullied out of the health care field because they decline to participate in actions that violate their conscience, including the taking of human
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Demonstrators in Salem, Ore., hold signs Nov. 28 during a rally for religious freedom. More than 400 attended. life. Protecting conscience and religious freedom not only fosters greater diversity in health care, it’s the law.” Dalton told CNS he thinks much will change under proposed incoming HHS director, Xavier Becerra, currently California attorney general. Pro-life leaders consider Becerra an activist for so-called abortion “rights.” He also is a leading proponent of the Affordable Care Act and an advocate for containing runaway health care costs. HHS is the department responsible for administering the ACA, Medicaid and Medicare. Likewise, another Californian, Vice Presidentelect Harris — the first female and first woman of color to be elected vice president — is seen as highly supportive of the ACA, legal abortion and access to artificial contraception. Dalton said he expects the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve some of the religious liberty disputes, including the ongoing dispute involving Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the city of Philadelphia over the agency declining in 2018 to place foster children with same-sex couples — a decision on the part of Catholic Social Services that is based on Church teaching upholding traditional marriage. Earlier this year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and a few Catholic Charities agencies joined more than 30 other religious groups, states and a group of members of Congress in urging the Supreme Court to protect Philadelphia’s faith-based foster care. The case, called Fulton v. Philadelphia, went before the Supreme Court Nov. 4. Whether the court allows an exemption — based on religious beliefs — to an
anti-discrimination law will be the most high-profile and important religious liberty court decision expected in 2021, according to a senior counsel at Becket, a religious liberty law firm based in Washington. “It will shape a lot of religious freedom decisions in the years to come. It will certainly affect foster care ministries across the country, but it is a lot bigger than that,” said attorney Luke Goodrich, who also is an adjunct professor at the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law, where he teaches constitutional law. In 2018, the city of Philadelphia stopped using the foster program of Catholic Social Services of the Philadelphia Archdiocese because the agency will not place children with same-sex couples or unmarried couples. Such unions go against Church teaching on marriage. A year later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit sided with the city, calling the agency’s policies discriminatory. The move prompted other Catholic Charities agencies around the country with canceled foster care programs to add their support for an exemption to the anti-discrimination rules. “If the Supreme Court rules the right way, it will make clear governments aren’t allowed to penalize religious organizations because of their beliefs about marriage,” Dalton said. “It all depends on how the court writes its opinion.” Goodrich also played a role in Becket’s representation of the Little Sisters of the Poor through the courts as the order objected on religious grounds to adhering to an ACA mandate that it provide contraceptives and abortifacients in its employee health care plan. The case went to the Supreme Court twice. California, Pennsylvania and other states filed lawsuits against the Little Sisters receiving a broad exemption to the mandate from the federal government, arguing such an exemption would be federal interference with the states’ duty to guarantee women’s “reproductive rights.” The religious order ultimately prevailed on July 8 of this year when the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in its favor. The ongoing global pandemic and continuing surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S. also means that religious liberties will continue to come up in the new year as people of faith fight government-mandated closures of houses of worship and severe restrictions on the size of congregations allowed for public worship, Dalton said. Just before midnight Nov. 25, for example, the Supreme Court stopped New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo from imposing what it ruled were discriminatory 10- and 25-person caps on synagogues and churches.
Doctrine committee sets standards for evaluating, improving Church hymns By Greg Erlandson Catholic News Service Expressing concern for the doctrinal soundness of some of the lyrics of Catholic hymns now available for use in Catholic liturgies, the U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee in a forthcoming report suggests guidelines for bishops in evaluating hymn lyrics and for selecting hymnals being considered for use in churches. An accompanying memo said the document is to “assist bishops in their oversight of liturgical celebrations in their dioceses and in the granting of the imprimatur.” It also encouraged bishops to “share this resource with composers and hymn publishers in their dioceses” as well as “diocesan worship officers, pastors and parish musicians.” The committee document identified six areas of particular concern, a principal one being the treatment of the Eucharist. It warned that “a steady diet” of doctrinally deficient hymns “would erode Catholic sensibility regarding the
fullness of Eucharist teaching, on the Mass as sacrifice and eventually on the Church, as formed by that sacrifice.” The document, titled “Catholic Hymnody at the Service of the Church: An Aid for Evaluating Hymn Lyrics,” was produced by the Committee on Doctrine of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. A copy of the report and memo were obtained by Catholic News Service. The report suggests two guidelines in “determining whether a hymn is doctrinally suitable for liturgical use”: u“Is the hymn in conformity with Catholic doctrine?” u“Is the hymn expressed in image and vocabulary appropriately reflective of the usage of Scripture and the public liturgical prayer of the Church?” In a memo accompanying the document, the committee said its report is modeled on a 1997 report by Indianapolis Archbishop Daniel Buechlein on “Ten Common Deficiencies in Catechetical Materials.” Archbishop Buechlein’s report prompted a longrunning and wide-ranging review of
catechetical materials used in religious education. The bishops’ Subcommittee on the Catechism met annually with religious publishers and set up an exhaustive voluntary review process to determine if texts were in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The first and lengthiest area of concern in the document focused on the presentation of eucharistic doctrine, reflecting a growing urgency among the bishops to address deficiencies in how some Catholics understand the Eucharist. A 2019 survey by the Pew Research Center found that only about half of those surveyed correctly understood that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ in the Mass, while half of respondents thought of the bread and wine as merely symbols of the body and blood of Christ. The document said language that implies the bread and wine remain bread and wine after the consecration should be avoided, as should language that implies that the bread and wine
“are merely symbols of another reality or person.” The document cited examples of current hymnody that fail to make the distinctions required. The concern, the bishops said, is that “Catholics nurtured on a steady diet of certain hymns will learn from them that at Mass we come together to share bread and wine, which remain bread and wine, a common meal, even if under special circumstances.” Regarding the doctrine of the Trinity, the report criticized hymns where there appeared to be a “reluctance to use the word ‘Father.’” Sometimes the word “Creator” is substituted for Father, although it applies to all three persons of the Trinity, and may imply that the Son and the Spirit are not God. “This is (the heresy of) Arianism, however unintentionally,” the report concluded. “It is our hope,” said the bishops, “that this guidance will help ensure that all the sacred music employed in liturgical celebrations will achieve its purpose, which is the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful.”
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DECEMBER 17, 2020
first international trip since his journey to Thailand and Japan in November 2019. From Baghdad, Iraqi Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, patriarch of Chaldean Catholics, told Catholic News Service that news of the papal visit was a “huge hope.” “We are so thirsty for hope,” he said of the Iraqi people.
HEADLINES u Bishops: Getting COVID-19 vaccine is ‘act of charity,’ supports the common good. The “gravity” of the COVID-19 pandemic and “the lack of availability of alternative vaccines” are “sufficiently serious” reasons to accept the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, the chairmen of the U.S. bishops’ doctrine and pro-life committees said Dec. 14. The bishops also said they found an AstraZeneca vaccine to be “more morally compromised” and concluded this vaccine “should be avoided” if there are alternatives available. But all three vaccines can be understood as opportunities to act for the common good, in charity and love toward others, said Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities. In a Dec. 14 statement and a Nov. 23 memo, the bishops addressed the moral concerns raised by the fact that the three vaccines have some connection to cell lines that originated with tissue taken from abortions. u Vice postulator of Sheen cause dies on 41st anniversary of archbishop’s death. A Mass at the tomb of Archbishop Fulton Sheen on the 41st anniversary of his death Dec. 9 also was a first opportunity for the Diocese of Peoria to mourn the death from COVID-19 two hours earlier of the vice postulator of the famed media pioneer and author’s cause for canonization. “We gather with sad news for our diocese as Msgr. Richard Soseman has gone home to God this morning,” said Coadjutor Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria at the start of the 8:30 a.m. Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria, Illinois. The livestreamed Mass followed a nine-day video novena for the canonization cause of Archbishop Sheen that drew participants from around the world. Msgr. Soseman, 57, had been the episcopal delegate assigned by Peoria Bishop Daniel Jenky to assemble Archbishop Sheen’s sainthood cause and later became vice postulator. Acknowledging “our hearts are heavy” with the news of his death, Bishop Tylka said “in some ways it is providential and fitting that on the same day that Sheen went home to God, so does Msgr. Soseman.” u Pope plans to visit Iraq in March. Barring any obstacles caused by the global pandemic, Pope Francis is set to resume international travel in 2021 by visiting Iraq in March, which would make him the first pope to visit the nation. “Pope Francis, accepting the invitation of the Republic of Iraq and of the local Catholic Church,” will visit Iraq March 5-8, said Matteo Bruni, head of the Vatican press office. “He will visit Baghdad, the plain of Ur, linked to the memory of Abraham, the city of Irbil, as well as Mosul and Qaraqosh in the plain of Ninevah,” Bruni wrote Dec. 7. Details about the trip “will be made known in due course and will take into consideration the evolution of the worldwide health emergency,” he added. It would be the pope’s
u Frankincense’s future: Ancient gift endangered, risks depletion. The Gospel of Matthew never details how many Magi came from “the East,” but it makes it clear they traveled to pay homage to “the newborn king of the Jews” and “offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Beyond their great monetary value, scholars say, the gifts had deep symbolic significance: gold for the Christ child’s nobility as king of the Jews; frankincense, which was burned in religious ceremonies, for his divinity; and myrrh, which was used on cuts or wounds and in the anointing of corpses, to prefigure his role as healer and foretell of his death. Myrrh and frankincense also were valuable medically as two of the most potent antimicrobial substances in the ancient medicine cabinet, said Anjanette DeCarlo, chief sustainability scientist for the U.S.based Aromatic Plant Research Center. Now, the future of frankincense is in doubt because an important species of tree from which it is drawn as sap — the boswellia papyrifera — is in decline in conflict-rife regions of Ethiopia and Sudan and at risk of going extinct in the next 50 years, said DeCarlo, who heads the Save Frankincense project. A study published last year in the journal, Nature Sustainability, predicted frankincense resin production will be halved in the next 20 years. u Bankruptcy court approves St. Cloud diocese’s plan for reorganization. The Minnesota Bankruptcy Court has approved a plan for reorganization jointly submitted by the Diocese of St. Cloud and a creditors’ committee of clergy abuse survivors, according to a news release from the diocese Dec. 4. The plan provides for a $22.5 million trust to compensate survivors of clergy sexual abuse, the release said. The funds will be made up of insurance coverage settlements ($14 million); property sales, including the St. Cloud Children’s Home ($5.25 million); contributions from parishes and a line of credit ($3.25 million). The plan also includes non-monetary protocols for the protection of children. “I again want to apologize on behalf of the Church to the survivors of clergy sexual abuse,” Bishop Donald Kettler said. “Coming forward took a great deal of courage. The Church failed them, and I hope this helps them to move further along the path of healing and peace. I remain committed to ensuring the Church does everything it can to prevent sexual abuse.” The diocese filed a voluntary petition June 15 for relief under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code after the diocese and abuse survivors reached agreement in May on a framework for a resolution of all clergy sexual abuse claims against the diocese and area parishes. — Catholic News Service
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A figure of Mary is pictured in the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Dec. 14.
Nativity scene is reminder of hope amid suffering, pope says By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service The image of baby Jesus nestled in the manger is a much-needed reminder during the pandemic that God gives the world the gift of hope in troubled times, Pope Francis said. Meeting Dec. 11 with delegations from Castelli in Italy’s Abruzzo region and from Kocevje, Slovenia — responsible, respectively, for the Nativity scene and Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square — the pope said that Christmas “reminds us that Jesus is our peace, our joy, our strength, our comfort.” “But, to receive these gifts of grace, we need to feel small, poor and humble like the characters of the Nativity scene. Even in this Christmas, amid the suffering of the pandemic, Jesus — small and defenseless — is the ‘sign’ that God gives to the world,” he said. The Nativity scene featured several life-sized ceramic statues in a contemporary art style with “roots in the traditional working of Castelli’s ceramics,” said a statement from the commission governing Vatican City State. The statues are from a 54-statue collection created by students and teachers of Castelli’s “F.A. Grue” Art Institute between 1965 and 1975 and included sculptural representations of the Magi and an angel placed above ceramic statues of the Holy Family. Other statues included a bagpiper, a shepherdess holding a jug and even an astronaut, meant to reference the history of ancient art and scientific achievements in the world.
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Building a domestic church A family realizes a longtime dream of a home chapel — right before they would depend on it the most
Minnesota, and their lacquer had absorbed decadesworth of incense. Brendan did most of the chapel work himself. In an interview with The Catholic Spirit in March, his kids ribbed him about all the tools he acquired. He said he heavily depended on YouTube tutorials along the way. As he worked, the project drew attention from neighbors. Some expressed skepticism, and even concern about the value of a house. How does one sell By Maria Wiering a house — if necessary — with a dedicated chapel? The The Catholic Spirit Koops were unfazed. Brendan built it for permanence, he said: “Every single wood joint in that chapel is glued n Jan. 1, 2020, Brendan and Molly — every single one. It’s very solid. It’s not going Koop, along with their eight anywhere in the future.” children and some extended For Molly, the process led to deeper reflection on the family members, including chapel’s meaaning, and its purpose in their domestic Brendan’s priest-brother and church, which St. John Paul II called “a church in the deacon-father, gathered for Mass home …, where God is honored, his law is respected, in their freshly finished home prayer is a normal event, virtue is transmitted by word chapel. With seating for about 15, and example, and everyone shares the hopes, the the chapel was the realization of a longtime desire and problems and sufferings of everyone else.” a nearly four-year painstaking labor of love, and the For the Koops, the visual, material elements of their Koops were grateful for its fruition. home were meant to be a reflection of how they On that New Year’s Day — the Solemnity of Mary, wanted to live, pray and be together as a family. “What Mother of God — they envisioned family evening do we want our kids to learn from growing up in this prayer and Sunday rosaries in its sun-drenched space. What they couldn’t have foreseen was the role it would family and in this particular space?” Molly asked. That’s why their home has large communal spaces to play in the midst of a pandemic that would make their foster time together, including a dedicated own parish temporarily inaccessible, and how that homeschooling room, and a shared bedroom for the would help bring them closer to each other and their boys and a shared bedroom for the girls (luckily, they heavenly Father. joke, they have an even number of each), with the idea The idea of a chapel was something that Molly, 42, that shared spaces would lead to close relationships and Brendan, 44, felt placed on their hearts years ago. among their children. The dining room table is walnut, Married in 2001, they desired to truly embrace the the same wood as the chapel’s altar, to connect the Church’s idea of the family as a domestic church, the daily meal to the eucharistic meal. The library is the place where children first learn who God is and how to room that leads into the chapel because, Brendan seek his will. When the Koops asked Brendan’s brother, explained, reason leads to faith. (He chronicled the an architect in Manhattan, to design a house for them house’s progress — and his vision for a house designed near Ham Lake, they incorporated that vision in every to foster a holy home life — on his blog “Ecclesia detail, from the open floor plan and home classroom, domestica,” meaning “the domestic church.”) to the large library designed to foster a love of reading The foyer includes family pictures mixed with photos and knowledge. of modern saints of varied ages and vocations. “When The house was effectively finished in 2015, with the you walk into this home, anyone exception of a large addition who comes here knows that our planned for the back: the future faith is central to our lives, and chapel. the pursuit of growth in virtue “We couldn’t afford it right and holiness is central to our away,” Brendan explained. “It’s family,” Molly said. like many home-building I think back to the From Brendan’s web research, he projects: You get into the middle hasn’t found another family that of it, and you realize your funding first day of 2020 when has been as deliberate as his about is rapidly going away.” we were celebrating designing a new house based on a The chapel was tabled, but not vision of the domestic church. He forgotten. As time and finances Mass in there for the has, however, come across other permitted, Brendan leveraged his first time since the chapel families who have home chapels. experience as an engineer to And, other Catholics have reached design the 18-by-12-foot chapel had been completed. out to him to get ideas for their first digitally, working out own potential chapel projects. problems via software so that Certainly, we never could The idea of a home chapel isn’t when it came time to build, he have known what a gift new, the Koops note: It was knew exactly what to do. For common in England and even the inspiration, he looked to history and what a space early United States, where — including the Cathedral of Catholic families housed priests or St. Paul, which he has described this would be for faced religious persecution. And as “the most beautiful church in our family. it’s an extension of a home altar, America” — and the contemporary work of University an idea gaining popularity as Molly Koop of Notre Dame architecture more Catholics explore shaping professor Duncan Stroik. their lives around the Church’s liturgical calendar. The family The resulting plan was rooted regularly prays in the morning in classical design, with the focus and reads the daily Gospel in the on the East-facing altar, inset chapel, and some of the kids bring between two colonnades under a their Church-related studies to the space. Brendan, Roman arch and circular window. Flanking the Molly and their older children spend personal prayer sanctuary are niches with statues of Mary and time there. On Sundays, they pray a family rosary, and St. Joseph, set against walls Brendan hand-stenciled with their traditional symbols. He designed the 16-foot- have prayed Stations of the Cross together. Brendan installed lights that can change color to match the high vaulted ceiling to give a sense of verticality, and liturgical season and speakers for playing sacred music. therefore transcendence. Stations of the Cross line the walls. The oldest Koop child, 18-year-old Clara, noted in March that she feels so used to having a chapel in her “It smells like a church, too,” Brendan noted: The home that it doesn’t strike her as unusual — until it pews came from a closed Catholic church in southern
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comes up in conversation with her friends and they’re surprised. “I’m definitely going to miss it when I go to college,” said Clara, a high school senior. “It’s really important to me to have that special prayer space.” Even though Brendan’s father, Deacon Steven Koop, and brother, Father Evan Koop, are ordained, Brendan and Molly didn’t envision Mass being a central use of the chapel. They saw it primarily as a space for private or family prayer. They deliberated over whether to include a tabernacle. In the end, they thought the altar looked weird without one. They didn’t really expect it to be used to house the Eucharist. But, with Father Koop’s visits, they realized there was a remote possibility that it could be used temporarily. Then, in March, Minnesota’s first cases of COVID-19 were discovered, indicating that the pandemic had arrived. Their parish, St. Paul in Ham Lake, like other parishes across the state, suspended Masses and other activities. And they, like most other Catholics, only had recourse to the Mass via TV and the internet. But, unlike most Catholics, they had a more fitting place than their living room to watch it. They livestreamed their parish’s Mass from a table in the front of their chapel, standing and kneeling in their pews, following the liturgy’s familiar rhythms. With Brendan working from home, and the children’s homeschool co-op activities canceled, they prayed most evenings in the chapel as a family. Gov. Tim Walz’s statewide stay-at-home executive order came two weeks before Holy Week, and the Koops reconciled themselves to the idea of the Triduum without their parish. Meanwhile, Father Koop, who had been studying in Rome, returned home amid Italy’s COVID-19 outbreak. His mandatory traveler quarantine ended the Wednesday of Holy Week, so he moved in with Brendan and Molly’s family for the Triduum. “We were able to have all of the Triduum liturgies in our home, which was a beautiful gift after having been away from the Eucharist for many weeks,” Molly said. On the Easter Vigil, each family member held lit candles in the dark as Father Koop chanted the “Exsultet,” a long prayer that speaks to the wonder of the paschal mystery. Family members took turns reading the Mass’ seven Old Testament readings. “(We) just had that experience of Easter Vigil, which is supposed to be in a parish, but this was an extremely rare circumstance where my brother could do it at our house,” Brendan explained. As the pandemic wore on, it became clear that their 8-year-old son, Oliver, wouldn’t be able to receive his first Eucharist at their parish this spring as they had expected. So, they obtained their pastor’s permission for him to receive his first Eucharist during a Mass at their home chapel. “I think back to the first day of 2020 when we were celebrating Mass in there for the first time since the chapel had been completed,” Molly told The Catholic Spirit in November. “Certainly, we never could have known what a gift and what a space this would be for our family.” The chapel is something “we're confident is from the Lord,” Brendan said, “and something that — especially in the year of 2020 — (we) have really benefited from in our spiritual life.” The Koops have a deep sense of being stewards, not owners, of the chapel, and they envision it having a future role they cannot yet know. A retreat house? A small monastery? Already, they have offered it to neighbors and friends as a place to pray. “This is not our chapel. None of what we have is ours — it’s a gift, and we’re blessed enough to use it,” Brendan said. “We want the Lord to use it however he wants.” The Koops, who are members of their parish’s pastoral council, are emphatic that the space is not intended to replace the Church of St. Paul or its community. But, Molly noted, the chapel is also an outgrowth of their parish’s faith formation, which encourages families to create a special place in their house for prayer. The Koops imagine one day praying in the space with their grandchildren.
DECEMBER 17, 2020 • 11
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Koop family prays a rosary March 19 in their home chapel, a place they’ve built for personal and family prayer. Brendan’s brother, Father Evan Koop, has celebrated Mass in the chapel, and 8-year-old Oliver received his first Communion there. Clara, a high school senior, reads alongside her siblings in the library, located next to the chapel. Molly helps 4-year-old Edith take a closer look at a photo of her patron saint on the wall in their foyer. This statue of Our Lady of Fatima is located to the left of the tabernacle in the Koop’s chapel.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
MARIA WIERING | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
“I try not to plan or think too much ahead, but if this year has told us anything, the Lord has just great plans for the way he hopes to use this space, and we don’t know what those could be,” she said. “Hopefully we can be docile to that, and our family can grow to love him more in this space.” But, Brendan added, while a chapel is meant to enhance prayer, it’s also meant to come from it. “The important thing is it should be an outgrowth of you or your family’s prayer life,” he said. “Building something or having a prayer area, if it was just there for show or if someone thought, ‘Well, if I build this, it will make me pray,’ — ultimately, that doesn’t work. We have to have that internal, interior life first and foremost, and have that interior chapel. And if we don’t have that, then nothing exterior is going to help us. But if we do have that, then there are many exterior things that do help us in prayer, and that’s why as Catholics, we have these beautiful buildings and statues, and things like that that help remind us.”
Photos of modern saints adorn the wall of the foyer alongside family portraits.
MARIA WIERING | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
12 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DECEMBER 17, 2020
FROMAGETOAGE Man thanks every doctor, nurse, therapist who helped him beat COVID-19 By Marc and Julie Anderson Catholic News Service It’s not about him. At least that’s how John Rathbun of Lawrence, Kansas, reflects upon his recent medical ordeal, which started in late June. After attending his grandson’s first Communion, John lay down for a nap. Several hours later, he was still in bed. When his wife, Kathy, called their son’s house, she learned he, too, was in bed. Within a few days, John, Kathy and their son all tested positive for COVID-19, but John’s condition deteriorated rapidly. “I was really tired at first, and then the cough set in, and then my oxygen started to drop,” John told The Leaven, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. “I actually went to the hospital. I went to the emergency room, and they treated me, and my oxygen went back up, and they sent me home.” Three days later, though, John’s oxygenation levels fell below 70%. Kathy drove him to Lawrence Memorial Hospital. John was whisked away in a wheelchair. Staff said they’d call her when they had more news.
Four hours after John arrived at the hospital, pulmonologist Dr. Mitchell Tener told him he’d probably be there a while but would not require a ventilator. Tener’s assessment later proved accurate. Thirty-three days later, John returned home. Both John and Kathy credit John’s recovery to two major factors: prayer and the excellent medical care he received. If there’s one message he’d like to spread this holiday season, it’s one of gratitude. “It’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about all the people who cared for me.” And he means that. In fact, John, a member of Corpus Christi in Lawrence, kept track of every single person he interacted with during his July 8 to Aug. 9 hospital stay. Keeping track of people’s names is not something people typically do, but when asked about it, John said simply, “I’m an old salesman, and I always want to keep track of people’s names.” John’s list of nurses includes 66 names. Then, there’s the three pulmonologists as well as physical and occupational therapists: More than 70 individuals tended to him. “They didn’t just keep track of my blood pressure and take my temperature.
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Kathy and John Rathbun are seen in this Nov. 13 photo. Members of Corpus Christi in Lawrence, Kan., they were both diagnosed with COVID-19, and from July 8 to Aug. 9, John was a patient at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. It was all the little, small kindnesses they did,” he said. “I can look at the list and tell you something about each one of them and something they did for me.” For example, Tiffany heard him coughing uncontrollably one night. She said she couldn’t give him more medicine, but Tiffany — who was two months pregnant — offered him candies she was using for morning sickness. They worked. The next day, she left him a whole tin of the candies. The acts of kindness, John said, kept
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piling up. And while he said thank you often, a suggestion of his former pastor Father Mick Mulvany prompted him to do more. He said Father Mulvany told him: “You should let people know how great your experience was and how wonderful the people treated you. They’d like to know that.” So John wrote a letter to the hospital Oct. 6, thanking the staff for the excellent care he received during his lengthy hospital stay, enclosing the list of every doctor, nurse and therapist who treated him. It should come as no surprise that one of John’s favorite Scripture passages is about the leper who returned to Jesus and thanked the Lord for his healing. Now, even though he’s been interviewed at least three times by different media outlets, John continues to direct the discussion to praise of his medical team. “I don’t want it to be about me,” he said. “I say this all the time — just jokingly — that I’m the numbskull that got sick and landed on their doorstep and lived to tell about it. “And now I get to share their story.”
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DECEMBER 17, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 13
FOCUSONFAITH SUNDAY SCRIPTURES | FATHER JOHN PAUL ERICKSON
Missionaries to a darkened world By means of baptism, the Christian becomes a dwelling place of God, a temple of the most Holy Trinity. And as long as one is in a state of grace, the Maker of all things lives within the human soul as its dearest and most intimate companion. This indwelling of the Most High is an astounding, breathtaking mystery, and one that will only be fully understood when, through mercy of this same God, we will see him face to face in heaven. In the Gospel given to us by holy mother Church for this year’s fourth Sunday of Advent, the Angel Gabriel proclaims the good news that Mary will be the mother of the Messiah. It will be within her immaculate womb
FAITH FUNDAMENTALS | FATHER MICHAEL VAN SLOUN
Confirmation is not graduation Some regard confirmation as a sort of spiritual graduation. Confirmation comes at the end of the successful completion of a course of study and a set of requirements that typically include a retreat and community service, and a high school or college graduation comes at the end of the successful completion of a set of academic requirements. The confirmation “graduate” receives the gift of the Holy Spirit and an anointing; the high school graduate receives a diploma, and the college graduate receives a degree. Similar as these may seem at first glance, they are drastically different in many ways. A graduate is no longer enrolled in the programs at their alma mater, but a confirmand is a registered
that the Father will weave the flesh of the savior, and in a very real sense, it will be her blood that will be shed upon Calvary for the salvation of the world. To look upon Mary is always to look upon the Lord, for it is from her that all of the human characteristics of Jesus will be taken. “This is my body, this is my blood” — these are not only the words of the priest at Mass as he consecrates the Eucharist. They are also the words of Mary as she looks upon her Son and savior. But while Mary will give to the Logos his face, his hands, his heart and his blood in a wholly unique and privileged way, and will carry this same Lord in her immaculate womb for nine months, every single Christian is also a “Theo-tokos,” that is, a bearer of God. Within the womb of the baptismal font, the Christian is given a new birth, a birth unto eternal life. And that life begins now, through the indwelling of the Trinity. But like the supreme gift given to Mary, the gift given in baptism is not meant for oneself alone. Mary’s glory is a gift not only for her, but for all mankind. She has become the source of incalculable blessings, our powerful intercessor and advocate, and the perfect example of discipleship. The fact that Mary runs to help her cousin Elizabeth immediately after the departure of Gabriel manifests that the mother of God also knew that her life was now not her own — the Gift she had been given was to be shared; and her glory now shines
upon all believers. So it is with the baptized Christian — the supernatural life lavished undeservingly upon us simultaneously impresses a grave responsibility upon us, a responsibility to be missionaries to a darkened world, and to be a source of hope and joy to the poor, the outcast and the weak. Why is there so much darkness, division and suffering in our world? Of course, part of the answer will always be that we live in a fallen world, and only with the triumphant return of the King will all suffering and death be destroyed. But it is also the case that much suffering is inflicted upon the world because we Christians are not holy, that is, we do not allow the Light within us, the Light that is a Trinity of Persons, to radiate upon others through mercy, service, kindness and heroic love. May this Christmas, a Christmas the likes of which no one could have imagined last year, be a time of renewal for us all. May God, who can do all things, reawaken within us the desire to be holy. May he make our heart another Bethlehem, a place of humility, fulfilment and power, where the Lord of all will shine upon those in our lives.
member of a parish and recommits to full, active and conscious participation in its “programs,” especially Sunday Mass and the regular reception of the sacraments, as well as other “offerings” like eucharistic adoration, young adult groups and peer ministry. A graduate’s classes are finished, but a confirmand’s learning has just begun. It would be a terrible shame to stop spiritual learning at the age of 13 to 16 and to spend one’s adult life with a confirmation-level education. With one’s appetite whetted with what was learned during confirmation classes, the confirmand eagerly forges ahead with continuing religious education: attentive listening to the Scripture readings and homilies at Mass, theology classes in high school and college, spiritual reading, Bible study, study groups, retreats and adult education programs at the parish or throughout the diocese. Graduates usually leave behind most of their old friends at their former school and form a new network of friendships at the next school or new workplace, whereas confirmands deepen and expand friendships at the parish. This is accomplished by mixing with fellow parishioners before or after Mass, prayer groups, serving in various ministries, volunteering on parish projects, participation in community builders and parish festivals, membership in the women’s or men’s groups,
or a position on a council or a commission. Also, potential new friends at school or work may or may not share a person’s religious values, whereas friends at the parish are fellow Catholics who share and support the same spiritual beliefs and practices. A graduate receives the services of teachers, professors, nurses, counselors, coaches and staff, whereas a confirmand generously serves others, in one’s family, at the parish, in a helping profession and in the military. He or she particularly serves the poor and disadvantaged. A graduate may have been the recipient of a scholarship, grant or parental financial support, whereas a confirmand gladly and freely shares time, talent and treasure including monetary donations in appreciation for blessings received. Grade school, high school and college are of limited duration, whereas a confirmand is on a lifetime journey of faith. A graduate celebrates what has been accomplished, whereas a confirmand looks ahead to God’s will for the future. Graduation is an ending. Confirmation is a beginning.
Tuesday, Dec. 29 1 Jn 2:3-11 Lk 2:22-35
Thursday, Jan. 7 1 Jn 4:19–5:4 Lk 4:14-22
Wednesday, Jan. 13 Heb 2:14-18 Mk 1:29-39
Friday, Jan. 8 1 Jn 5:5-13 Lk 5:12-16
Thursday, Jan. 14 Heb 3:7-14 Mk 1:40-45
Saturday, Jan. 9 1 Jn 5:14-21 Jn 3:22-30
Friday, Jan. 15 Heb 4:1-5, 11 Mk 2:1-12
Tuesday, Jan. 5 St. John Neumann, bishop 1 Jn 4:7-10 Mk 6:34-44
Sunday, Jan. 10 Baptism of the Lord Is 42:1-4, 6-7 Acts 10:34-38 Mk 1:7-11
Saturday, Jan. 16 Heb 4:12-16 Mk 2:13-17
Wednesday, Jan. 6 1 Jn 4:11-18 Mk 6:45-52
Monday, Jan. 11 Heb 1:1-6 Mk 1:14-20
Father Erickson is pastor of Transfiguration in Oakdale. He can be reached at frerickson@transfigurationmn.org.
Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata. This column is part of an ongoing series on confirmation.
DAILY Scriptures Sunday, Dec. 20 Fourth Sunday of Advent 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 Rom 16:25-27 Lk 1:26-38 Monday, Dec. 21 Sg 2:8-14 Lk 1:39-45 Tuesday, Dec. 22 1 Sm 1:24-28 Lk 1:46-56 Wednesday, Dec. 23 Mal 3:1-4, 23-24 Lk 1:57-66 Thursday, Dec. 24 Christmas vigil Is 62:1-5 Acts 13:16-17, 22-25 Mt 1:1-25
Friday, Dec. 25 The Nativity of the Lord Is 62:11-12 Ti 3:4-7 Lk 2:15-20 Saturday, Dec. 26 St. Stephen, first martyr Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 Mt 10:17-22 Sunday, Dec. 27 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 Col 3:12-21 Lk 2:22-40 Monday, Dec. 28 Holy Innocents, martyrs 1 Jn 1:5–2:2 Mt 2:13-18
Wednesday, Dec. 30 1 Jn 2:12-17 Lk 2:36-40 Thursday, Dec. 31 1 Jn 2:18-21 Jn 1:1-18 Friday, Jan. 1 Solemnity of Mary Mother of God Nm 6:22-27 Gal 4:4-7 Lk 2:16-21 Saturday, Jan. 2 Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church 1 Jn 2:22-28 Jn 1:19-28
Sunday, Jan. 3 Epiphany of the Lord Is 60:1-6 Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6 Mt 2:1-12 Monday, Jan. 4 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious 1 Jn 3:22–4:6 Mt 4:12-17, 23-25
Tuesday, Jan. 12 Heb 2:5-12 Mk 1:21-28
Sunday, Jan. 17 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19 1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20 Jn 1:35-42
14 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DECEMBER 17, 2020
COMMENTARY FAITH AT HOME | LAURA KELLY FANUCCI
A Christmas without? Or a Christmas with?
Flip back through photos and you’ll see how different Christmas will look this year. No Nativity pageant at church. No Christmas concert at school. No company parties. No visits to Santa. No family reunions. With five kids at home, I’ve been hearing a lot of wishing for last year or hoping for next. Why can’t we do what we’ve always done? Why is that fun canceled, too? 2020 has asked us to go without. But our sacrifices have not been hollow. Our actions and attitudes are modeling for younger generations what it means to work for the common good, care for the most vulnerable and love our neighbors. What’s more, God will fill what feels empty. What if we entered into Advent and Christmas with expectancy and openness, asking Mary to show us what it means to welcome God in surprising ways? We might discover that our God of goodness is waiting to give us new graces. We can gather with our families in fresh ways this year. Even as we mourn what we are going without, we can still celebrate with each other, enjoying the essentials of Advent and Christmas. Walk in the woods together and enjoy the beauty of creation. Cook with family over a video call or watch a favorite movie at the same time. Start a group text to reminisce about great holiday memories. Write letters to relatives who live alone. Start dreaming of next year’s Christmas together. We can also celebrate with the children in our lives in new ways. With tighter budgets and fewer options, let us look to simple joys. Drive around town to delight in the Christmas lights. Decorate a gingerbread house together (or with grandparents over Zoom). Make a playlist of favorite Advent hymns and Christmas carols. Create a paper chain as an Advent calendar, writing one name for Jesus with a Scripture verse for each day.
CATHOLIC WATCHMEN | DEACON GORDON BIRD
The here and now of Advent
Jesus came, Jesus is coming again — yet Jesus is here! Advent captures us solemnly remembering the fullness of time to be celebrated when Christmas arrives. Divinely transcended are space and time in this three-fold arrival — past, future, and the here and now — of who always was, who always will be, who always is in our hearts, the great “I AM.” Recognizing three comings is knowledge; living the arrival in-between — the dwelling of Jesus in our hearts today — is wisdom. Jesus came in the visible first “Parousia” — arrival — of the invisible God. The first Advent that we celebrate gets much attention due to the joy of giving, the thankfulness of getting and the hoopla of Christmastide. Doubtful there was much hype in a cave in Bethlehem when God, as baby Jesus, first arrived to save humanity. At least until the shepherds, animals, Magi from the East, etc. came to adore the
What’s more, God will fill what feels empty. What if we entered into Advent and Christmas with expectancy and openness, asking Mary to show us what it means to welcome God in surprising ways?
iSTOCK PHOTO | MANAEMEDIA
This year we can celebrate with neighbors in new ways, too, remembering that the spirit of Christian charity and solidarity means we serve and sacrifice for each other. Drop a card or cookies on your neighbor’s doorstep. Be kinder to strangers in comment boxes. Pray for those with whom you disagree. Donate extra to local food shelves if you can. Light a candle in your window each night to bring the light of Christ to your neighborhood. We can also celebrate with the universal Church, drawing together as the body of Christ. Try a new prayer practice like the St. Andrew Christmas Novena or the O Antiphons. Pray with an online Mass celebrated in a language other than your own. Pay a virtual visit to a great cathedral on another continent. Show your children the beauty and diversity of art for the Nativity (free, thanks to Google Images). Plan special ways to celebrate the coming Christmas feasts: not only the Nativity, but also the feast of the Holy Family (Dec. 27); the Solemnity of Mary, Mother
of God (Jan. 1); and Epiphany (Jan. 3). Doughnuts after Mass? Dessert after dinner? Listening to favorite music? We need every reason to rejoice right now. Above all, we can celebrate these holy seasons with our God who is always Emmanuel, dwelling with us. May we keep our hearts open to encountering the God of Incarnation right where we find ourselves here and now. Next year will be different. We’ll hug and kiss friends and family. We’ll sing together at Mass in crowded churches. We’ll enjoy traditions that we put on hold, savoring their sweetness even more after their absence. But may we never limit God’s love or fear that we’ll be left without. God-with-us will bring new mercies each morning.
splendor with the angels on high. Yet Mary and Joseph, in their trust, obedience and humility were certainly joyful from the first moment with this fully divine, fully human presence in their midst. Since her fiat, we learn from the Blessed Mother that when you go on a journey with Jesus, you do not come back the same way. The arduous trek on which she and her husband traversed had just begun with the birth of the Christ child. Jesus’ first arrival is the “starting” — of God restoring mankind back to him. So, when renditions of shepherds, animals, Wise Men and angels come into play along with the gifts of Christmas joy in our own homes, we can be reminded of the reason to give thanks. The true spirit of Christmas with Jesus in our hearts starts and keeps us on the right path. With all the mysteries of life, with its joys, sorrows, illumination and glory — aka the Gospel stories through the rosary — Christmas should represent Jesus’ timeless presence in our hearts. Jesus will come again. Yes, indeed, he will come in glory with salvation for his people. Perhaps the hottest topic nowadays in Christian talk from small groups to multimedia is “when the heck is that arrival going to be?” Pandemics, politics, pride, weather, disasters, etc. can bring about such thoughts. Then we remind ourselves what our Lord told his Apostles and others who were listening: Always be prepared. “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” (Mt 25:13). Through this parable, Jesus clearly illustrates his second coming.
No Christian desires to fall into the group of believers who fail to prepare for the final arrival of our Lord. Jesus is here! That recognition is why we celebrate his birth, how we prepare for his coming in glory and how we live today. St. Bernard, a 12th-century abbot and Doctor of the Church, spoke of this invisible coming of the Lord in spirit, “because this coming lies between the other two, it is like the road on which we travel from the first coming to the last.” He explains that Christ is our redeemer in the first coming, and “he will appear as our life” in the final. Yet we are to be at rest and consolation in this “middle.” Catholic Watchmen, by the example of their patron St. Joseph, are prompted to gaze from the heights to the breach of their household, providing spiritual leadership for their families, neighbors, church and community. We do this by taking care of each other physically, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually, driven by the truth of God’s word. This guides all of us to act out of an authentic love for God. This is when the Christ Child truly arrives and lives in our hearts.
A parishioner of St. Joseph the Worker in Maple Grove, Fanucci is a writer, speaker and author of several books including “Everyday Sacrament: The Messy Grace of Parenting.” Her work can be found at laurakellyfanucci.com.
Deacon Bird ministers at St. Joseph in Rosemount and All Saints in Lakeville, and assists the archdiocese’s Catholic Watchmen movement. Reach him at gordonbird@rocketmail.com. Learn about the Catholic Watchmen at archspm.org/faith-communities/men or at facebook.com/thecatholicwatchmen.
COMMENTARY
DECEMBER 17, 2020
YOUR HEART, HIS HOME | LIZ KELLY
Do you know your nobility?
A friend tells me about an experience he had in prayer recently. He was meditating with the Visitation, when Mary visits her cousin, Elizabeth, who was thought to be barren, but is now in her sixth month. You know the story: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb’” (Lk 1:41-42). As my friend is imagining himself in this scene, he is first an outside observer, but then Mary turns and looks directly at him. In an extraordinary moment of intimacy and tenderness, she invites him forward. As he draws near, she takes his hand, and places it gently and precisely on her belly — and just then, as you might guess, Jesus kicks. In his imagination, my friend and Mary laugh together at this notion: the Savior of
the world kicking his holy mother. My friend is moved by the holiness of this moment and is renewed in the knowledge that Jesus wants him to be part of his family. I am struck by the inherent nobility that is bestowed upon humanity in this moment, and that the invitation to enter into it comes to us from Jesus through Mary. We are invited to touch him and know him in his humanity and vulnerability. The theologians call it our “ontological nobility,” the fact that our very being is exalted because we are creatures created by the Creator. And that because God chose to take on human nature and walk among those created in his image and likeness, all humanity is exalted. In “Jesus Christ, Fundamentals of Christology,” Father Roch Kereszty writes, “In Christ human nature has reached its highest, freely bestowed actualization. … This has radically changed not only the situation but also the concrete nature of every human being. Because of the incarnation, to be a man or woman means to be a brother or sister of God the Son and to have a right to be loved by him as his own brother or sister.” In other words, Jesus has bestowed upon you the right to be loved, even and perhaps especially in your humanity and vulnerability. The source of this nobility rests solely in God. If I believe this, then the question becomes, do I live in the awareness of such nobility? Do I live nobly? Do
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 15 I help others around me to recognize their intrinsic nobility, and treat them as though they are in fact royalty, whether or not they recognize it? And most important, do I see in the vulnerability of the Infant-King that vulnerability itself is exalted? Ignorance on this point cannot be overstated. Whether willful, malicious or honest, it results in abortion and euthanasia, harvesting the organs of the vulnerable, and every kind of taking advantage of the poor and the needs of others. As the world rails against the Almighty Creator and espouses the eradication of social ills through human effort and do-goodery, a thin kind of humanitarianism, Christians must live a radical nobility, one that vigorously, tenaciously protects the truth of life from conception to natural death and the exalted reality of the human person, especially when he or she is vulnerable. In this holy season of waiting for that bright Infant to pierce the darkness, don’t forget your nobility. Don’t forget where it comes from or who gives it to you or what it is meant to accomplish. It’s the greatest Christmas present you will ever receive. O Come, Emmanuel, ransom us from every evil that attacks our right to be loved. Kelly is the author of nine books, including “Your Heart, His Home Prayer Companion” (2019) and “Love Like a Saint” (2021). Visit her website at lizk.org.
LETTERS Remembering Father Wittman I would be remiss if I didn’t add a couple of footnotes to Barb Umberger’s very nice obituary for Father Peter Wittman (“Father Wittman remembered as kind, humble, devoted to Catholic education,” Oct. 22). Along with all of his pastoral assignments, Father Wittman’s wisdom was appreciated to the point that he was appointed to the Archdiocesan Corporate Board. More importantly, though, from my personal perspective, he also served as a member of the board of directors of The Catholic Spirit Publishing Co. from 2000 to 2006. He was always so in touch with the needs of the people in his parish that he was a real asset to me and The Catholic Spirit’s editor and staff. It’s not a coincidence that during Father Peter’s term on the newspaper’s board The Catholic Spirit was winning scads of awards in the Catholic Press Association annual journalism awards program — 22 one year! — and in both 2004 and 2006 the Spirit won first-place for General Excellence as the best large-circulation diocesan newspaper in North America. He was a wise adviser to those of us on the newspaper staff, and one of the nicest people I’ve been privileged to know. Bob Zyskowski, Former editor and associate publisher of The Catholic Spirit Bonduel, Wisconsin
Actions, not scenarios Why is it that some people fear the unknown, but don’t fear what they know? A case in point is Tom Tracy’s “Pro-lifers fear ‘hard-core, pro-abortion forces’ in the Biden Administration” in the Nov. 19 Catholic Spirit. Tracy spends paragraph after paragraph quoting Mark Harrington and Tom McClusky with their “anticipates that,” “expected that” and “will likely” scenarios of fearful things that Biden might do, and fails to mention at all the sinful things that Trump did do: his characterization of immigrants as “criminals,” his disparaging of refugees, calling what they’ve done in Minnesota “absolutely a disgrace,” and his racist tweets that U.S. citizens “go back” to the
“corrupt” countries they came from to name a few. Perhaps the pro-lifers — indeed all of us — should remember what Pope Francis said: “We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life.” Remember that “pro-life” has never meant a concern for only one issue. And that sometimes it might be better to face reality than to fear the future. Gene Scheffler and Kathleen Burke-Scheffler Ascension, Minneapolis
Concern misdirected I am very disappointed in The Catholic Spirit and some of the Catholic leaders. You are already complaining about Joe Biden, and he isn’t our president until Jan. 20, 2021 (“Bishops group to monitor Biden policies vs. Church teaching,” Nov. 19). Where were you when you should have been complaining about the present president, who is anti-Christ? You stuck your head in the sand the same as when priests were abusing children. Christ did not lie. Christ was not immoral, a racist, narcissistic, prejudiced, vindictive or a bully. The present president constantly lies and you take his word instead of understanding that he was just pandering for Catholic votes. In “Let Us Dream,” Pope Francis criticizes populist politicians who whip up rallies in ways reminiscent of the 1930s and the hypocrisy of “rigid” conservative Catholics who support them. Lee McGee St. Dominic, Northfield
Witnessing to mercy This letter is with reference to the article “Bishops group to monitor Biden policies vs. Church teaching” by Mark Pattison of Catholic News Service in The Catholic Spirit, Nov. 19. In this article, Archbishop Jose Gomez, the president of the USCCB, is quoted that with a Catholic president-elect we are facing a unique moment, with opportunities but also certain challenges. The “challenges” seem to have gotten more of the attention of the USCCB than the opportunities because a special working
group headed by Archbishop Vigneron was established and charged to address issues surrounding the election of a Catholic president and policies that may come about that would be in conflict with Catholic teaching and the bishops’ priorities. In this approach, the USCCB projects an image of being primarily concerned about Catholic issues. In fairness, the concern of the USCCB for the pressing issues of the nation and the world is hinted at by the comment of Archbishop Gomez later in the article where he mentioned immigration, aid to refugees and the poor, racial justice, capital punishment and climate change. These issues should also be monitored by the special working group under Archbishop Vigneron. We need our bishops to provide leadership to keep the complementary faces of mercy for the unborn and the already born alive during a time of dangerous polarization. Richard Podvin St. Odilia, Shoreview
Attack on human dignity Pope Francis calls the death penalty an attack on the dignity of the person and deems capital punishment “inadmissible” in all cases in the updated 2018 Catechism. As Sisters of St. Joseph, we value the sanctity of all life. We are impelled to boldly “oppose the use of the death penalty.” The U.S. in 2020 witnessed its ninth and tenth federal executions of Brandon Bernard (Dec. 10) and Alfred Bourgeo (Dec. 11) after a 17-year hiatus. Three additional executions are planned for January 2021. Now the U.S. Justice Department is considering the use of firing squads and the electric chair for federal executions by quietly amending its protocols. In this Advent, we consider Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness. Praying and seeking to be signs of love to those on death row, their victims, and families, we invite you to advocate for an end to our nation’s use of the death penalty. Sister Cathy Steffens, CSJ Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Leadership Team, St. Paul
Do away with elections? I felt a need to offer some response to a letter in the Dec. 3rd issue of the Spirit, titled “Supreme evaluation,” in which the writer says of the recently completed election, “Let the U.S. Supreme Court hear the lawyers’ arguments and arrive at a decision.” My first question would be, arguments on “what”? At this point even Attorney General William Barr — one of President Trump’s most loyal and constant supporters — has said that his Justice Department can find no evidence of any significant election fraud. Also, Republican election officials in states such as AZ, GA and PA have all said the election was fair and honest and they can find little to no fraud. My second question is, does anyone remember folks suggesting after the 2016 election, won by Donald Trump, “Let the Supreme Court decide it”? I guess I do not remember that, even though that year Mr. Trump won the three deciding battleground states of WI, MI and PA by about 78,000 votes — while Mr. Biden won those same three states by about 250,000 votes this time around. Lastly, and most importantly, the letter writer and others of a similar mind should keep in mind the fact that the U.S. Constitution says presidential elections are to be decided by the electors from each state — which are currently determined by the popular vote outcome in that state. The Constitution says nothing about any court, including the Supreme Court, being routinely used to determine the outcome of an election — just because one candidate or one “side” doesn’t like the initial outcome after all votes are counted. If courts were to decide the election this year, then Americans might as well forget about bothering to vote, ever again. The Supreme Court could simply meet and select our president from a list of major party nominees. John Ewan St. Rose of Lima, Roseville LETTERS CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
16 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DECEMBER 17, 2020
CALENDAR “Soiree Musicale at Lourdes” featuring Jacob Benda and Our Lady of Lourdes Vocal Quintet — Dec. 17: 7–8:30 p.m. Includes sister-duo of Angel Andres, violinist, and ToniLynn Andres, flutist. Livestreamed event that will explore seasonal favorites such as Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite,” Vivaldi’s “Winter Concerto” and choral music by Ola Gjeilo, Philip Stopford and more. lourdesmpls.org/events “Cathedral Illuminated: The Manger” Cathedral Christmas light show — Dec. 17-19: 6–9 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave., St. Paul. Drive-along event, also will be livestreamed on the Cathedral Heritage Foundation’s Facebook page. cathedralheritagefoundation.org “A Festival of Lessons and Carols” — Dec. 18: 7 p.m. online from St. Bartholomew, Wayzata. The annual tradition will feature several choral pieces sung by the choir (socially distanced), highlights from previous services and a few surprises. st-barts.org/events/a-festival-of-lessons-carols Virtual Advent organ series — Dec. 20: 5:30– 6:15 p.m. online, from Holy Cross in Minneapolis, the final recital of its Advent virtual organ series with organist Jacob Benda. ourholycross.org/musical-offerings-and-concerts “A St. Thomas Christmas: Respite and Grace” — YouTube. The University of St. Thomas’ Christmas concert with six ensembles. https://link.stthomas.edu/respiteandgrace2020
CALENDAR submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, 14 days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication. We cannot guarantee a submitted event will appear in the calendar. Priority is given to events occurring before the next issue date. LISTINGS: Accepted are brief notices of upcoming events hosted by Catholic parishes and organizations. If the Catholic connection is not clear, please emphasize it in your submission. Included in our listings are local events submitted by public sources that could be of interest to the larger Catholic community. ITEMS MUST INCLUDE the following to be considered for publication: uTime and date of event uFull street address of event uDescription of event uContact information in case of questions ONLINE: T HECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM/ CALENDARSUBMISSIONS
LETTERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
Vaccine decision In Father Pacholczyk’s commentary “Should I get vaccinated?” (Dec. 3) he states a commonly held idea that “on rare occasions adverse events do occur.” In 2007-2010, the CDC funded a $1 million grant to a Harvard research group — Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Inc. — to identify how effective the current reporting system is for adverse reactions. It was found that adverse reactions are not rare, but are under-reported with fewer than 1% of vaccine adverse events reported. This highlights the importance of letting each person being able to choose for him or herself, or a child, if a vaccine or a disease is riskier given their current health. Health care providers should compassionately seek to answer patients’ questions, rather than pressuring, dismissing concerns or terminating them from their care. Cara Carlson Epiphany, Coon Rapids
Political rhetoric I am writing to express my sadness and disappointment regarding Sister Helen Prejean’s comments regarding Donald Trump in the article about federal execution measures (“Catholic leaders decry additional federal execution measures,” Dec. 3). I do support our Church’s declaration regarding capital punishment, but I fail to understand the vehement remarks about President Trump. I am so very tired of hearing this man vilified over the past four years. I agree with Sister’s strong position on capital punishment, but I do not agree that you should have published the angry, almost hateful statement about Donald Trump. A few editions back, you published objective considerations
about the issues around the election, and I found that helpful and balanced; but statements such as the one in this Dec. 3 article strike me as hateful, judgmental, and out of order for a Catholic Christian to make. I also found myself pondering: Is executing the guilty worse than executing the innocent? Regarding abortion, Trump is the most pro-life president we have ever had. I read every issue of The Catholic Spirit that I am blessed to receive, but please, it’s time to leave the very dark political rhetoric behind. Ruth Schiller Sts. Joachim and Anne, Shakopee
‘Recover better’ “Human Rights Day” was Dec. 10 — honoring that date in 1948 when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by all the world’s nations through the United Nations General Assembly. The UDHR was, and continues to be, a landmark document that proclaims that dignity, equality, respect and freedom are inalienable rights for every human being. It is the foundation of international human rights law. This year, the day’s theme was “Recover Better,” focusing on the need to build back better from our COVIDravaged world, ensuring that universal human rights are central to our recovery efforts. This virus has exposed and worsened inequalities and prohibitions. We now have the opportunity to greatly reduce — if not totally eradicate — these horrific injustices. We are all interconnected — collectively responsible for the well-being of our planet. Let’s imagine that ending this pandemic will bring a new era of global solidarity and sustainability, ending wars and militarism. Worldwide peace and harmony!
True transparency? I’m finally getting around to reading your Nov. 19 issue and your coverage of the “McCarrick Report.” I think your coverage’s two headlines (“McCarrick report documents repeated lack of serious investigation” and “Report’s X-ray look into U.S. abuse scandal digs up pain, hope in transparency”) tell us in a nutshell the scandal over the past half-century and the scandal of the present and future. What’s the scandal of the present and future, you ask? To me, it’s the “X-ray look” that digs up only pain and hope in transparency, because this implies that the “X-ray look” probably won’t arrive at the deepest truth, namely the homosexual network within the hierarchy. I pray that I’m proven wrong. Roland J. Mayer Epiphany, Coon Rapids Share your perspective by emailing TheCatholicSpirit@archspm.org. Please limit your letter to the editor to 150 words and include your parish and phone number. The Commentary pages do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Catholic Spirit.
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 17
ARCHDIOCESAN CHANCERY CORPORATION ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT • 2020 Generosity buoys a challenging year
Financial Officer Report
By Archbishop Bernard Hebda
INTRODUCTION
Traditionally, the end of a year affords us an opportunity to look back on the previous 12 months and marvel at all that has happened and all that has changed. As much as many of us shudder to consider peering over our shoulders at 2020 — due to the COVID-19 pandemic, racial unrest and divisive political tensions that have left an imprint on all of us — I nonetheless find myself filled with gratitude to God and to you, the faithful of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. As you have read and seen on these pages of The Catholic Spirit, the global pandemic that found its way to Minnesota in the middle of March has made this a challenging year for our parishes and Catholic schools. Our parishes took a significant financial hit when public Masses were suspended last March and schools had to transition to distance learning. Our parishes and schools scrambled to serve their families and communities in creative new ways and in doing so have incurred additional and unexpected costs. That said, our parishes and schools have been beneficiaries of generous women and men who continue to share with them their time, talent and treasure. Electronic giving and forgivable federal loans have allowed parishes to maintain their important ministries, pay staff and keep their doors open for the celebration of the Mass and other vital parish life activities. I am most grateful to you, our flock, for your steadfast commitment to supporting our parishes and schools and for the many other ways you give of yourselves and your resources. During this difficult time, the Archdiocese was blessed to begin to receive funds from two significant estate gifts: one for $1.1 million and the other for $8.5 million. In addition to the unanticipated gifts to the Archdiocese, the trusts also provided generous support to a number of parishes and Catholic schools. While I did not know either of the families who made the donations, I have been thanking God for their generosity and commitment to the work of the Archdiocese. Their generosity could not have come at a better time. I have asked the Archdiocesan Finance Council and Corporate Board (a lay-led board of women and men who advise on the operations of the Archdiocese) to assist the Archdiocesan leadership team in evaluating options for the best ways to use the funds. Their early recommendations to me have been: to pay the remaining balance of $3 million that we agreed to contribute to the abuse survivors trust as part of our bankruptcy settlement; to continue abuse prevention and support programs for those harmed by abuse; and to respond affirmatively to some capital project requests. I am grateful to have so many knowledgeable and wise professionals with whom to collaborate and to help us steward the financial resources of this local Church. You may read more about their recommendations in the accompanying Financial Report. I recognize that the Archdiocese would be unable to carry on its ordinary work without your steadfast support of parishes, schools and other Catholic entities in the 12 counties of the Archdiocese. Your generosity has made it possible for us to continue to support the important work of passing on the faith, and witnessing to that faith, at an exceptionally difficult time. Please know of my gratitude for your magnanimity and for your faithfulness to Christ and his Church. Please join me in praying for our benefactors; for an end to the pandemic; for those who have died from COVID-19 and their loved ones; for our priests, deacons and lay ministers and volunteers who have labored selflessly this year; and for the health care professionals and front-line workers who risk their safety every time they go to work to serve those who need help the most. Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, pray for us.
Fiscal year 2020 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis began July 1, 2019, and ended June 30, 2020. It is an understatement to describe the past fiscal year as stressful, challenging and unprecedented. That said, it is inaccurate to describe the year as entirely negative. Prior to the statewide COVID-19 shutdown in March of this year, the U.S. economy was strong, and most of our parishes were beneficiaries of the economic strength and subsequent generosity of the hundreds of thousands of women and men who support parish ministries. Furthermore, the Archdiocese operated without court supervision for the first time in five years, after the closing of the archdiocesan bankruptcy case. At the direction of public health experts, Archbishop Hebda suspended all public Masses at the end of March. Parish, school and archdiocesan staffs were directed to work from home. Shortly thereafter, Governor Walz issued his Stay at Home Executive Order, essentially shutting down the state. Only “essential” workers were permitted to go to their workplace; malls and stores were shuttered, and our churches and schools were closed. After quickly overcoming the shock of a total state shutdown, parishes adapted by providing livestream Masses, Catholic schools began distance learning programs, and the Archdiocese launched a special virtual Holy Week retreat to unite all of us around our Lord’s passion, death and resurrection. It was a blessing to come together in that special way. During this uncertain and stressful time, parishes and schools also learned how to serve differently, providing essential services to those most in need, connecting with parishioners and families and continuing sacramental ministries in creative ways, including parking lot Masses and fish house confessions. The Archdiocesan Catholic Center staff immediately began serving parishes and schools differently, providing consultation services and new resources in a variety of modes, often using new and emerging technologies. This Archdiocese is blessed with many generous women and men who continued to support their parishes and schools while participating virtually in the life of the Church. While most parishes expected, and saw, significant decreases in giving in the initial weeks of the shutdown, many rebounded, though not to the full extent of giving before the onset of the pandemic. Overall decreases in giving were not as significant as originally anticipated, but were still substantial at many parishes. The continued generosity of our donors, along with the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Loans made available by federal law that were received by the Archdiocese and many parishes, allowed for operations to continue with limited interruption. In furtherance of our support to parishes, the Archdiocesan Finance Council and Corporate Board (AFCCB), which is comprised mostly of lay men and women, recommended, and Archbishop Hebda agreed, that parishes receive a discount on their fourth quarter assessment — i.e., money contributed to the Archdiocese to fund support programs and other efforts — which amounted to nearly $1 million of savings for our parishes. At the same time, the Archdiocese re-evaluated and trimmed its fourth quarter budgets and FY2021 operating budget across all divisions to reflect anticipated fiscal challenges and minimize the financial impact of the shutdown and pandemic. The Archdiocese was notified during the fiscal year that we were the beneficiary of two generous estate gifts totaling approximately $9.6 million. Accounting rules required us to record these gifts as a receivable at June 30, 2020, and recognize contribution revenue during the year ended June 30, 2020. The amounts are recognized and recorded this way because, during fiscal year 2020, both donors passed away, the Archdiocese was aware of the gifts prior to the release of its financial reports, the gifts were legally enforceable, and the amounts were estimable. You may read more about these generous gifts in
The archdiocese’s fiscal year 2020 Financial Statements along with the Independent Auditor’s Report will be posted at archspm.org at the Finance and Accounting page prior to Dec. 31.
By Thomas Mertens Chief Financial Officer Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Archbishop Hebda’s column in this financial report at left. The AFCCB has designated these estate gifts for specific future uses, one of which is the full repayment of the Archdiocese’s remaining $3 million bankruptcy settlement obligation to a fund for victim compensation (after giving effect to an October 2020 installment payment of $1 million). Typically, estate gifts are used to repay debt or finance special projects and are not used for ordinary operations. The estate gifts and their use for full repayment of the bankruptcy obligations assures victim-survivors and their families and friends of continuation of our outreach services and healing as part of our operating budget. The Archdiocese is blessed to have experienced and knowledgeable AFCCB members to determine the best course of action to recommend to Archbishop Hebda for the use of these special gifts. This is the first fiscal year since 2013 that we have an audit opinion with complete audited financial statements that include a balance sheet, statement of activities, and statement of cash flow. In fiscal year 2019 we were able to have only a balance sheet audit performed, and prior to that, for the past four years, the Archdiocese had asked our CPA firm to perform Agreed Upon Procedures (AUP) on our financial statements. The AUP assisted us in governance of the Archdiocese and stewardship of its resources by requiring attestation procedures on key balance sheet accounts and review of the statement of activities and internal controls.
FINANCIAL CONDITION For the year ended June 30, 2020, we generated surplus from operations of $10.2 million as compared to almost $1.7 million in 2019. The increase is due to Contributions revenue as a result of the two estate gifts totaling $9.6 million, combined with a 2.5% reduction in operating expense. A favorable non-cash adjustment to Special Issue Expense in 2019 of approximately $800,000, relating to the assignment to the Bankruptcy Trust of a potential workers’ compensation investment account refund, increased the 2019 surplus, offsetting the increase in surplus on a year-overyear basis.
insurance coverage to all of the parishes, Catholic schools, the Archdiocesan Catholic Center and certain other Catholic entities within the Archdiocese. The coverage provided by the General Insurance Program includes commercial property, casualty, general liability and workers’ compensation. The General Insurance Program is maintained for the benefit of the participants who have contributed funds in exchange for obtaining insurance coverage. On July 1, 2019, the General Insurance Program was renamed the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Participants’ Restated and Amended Irrevocable Trust, and as a result, all insurance assets totaling $12,881,854 and liabilities totaling $5,349,348 were transferred to the new trustee. This change was initiated to formalize and memorialize the rights, duties and obligations of the trust and trustee, and protect the recipient’s rights from obligations of the participating entities. The net impact to the current year statement of activities ending June 30, 2020, is a non-operating loss of $7,532,506. The General Insurance Program had a surplus from operations of $1.6 million in 2019.
NON-OPERATING ACTIVITY: PRIEST BENEFITS The Archdiocese coordinates a self-insured health and dental benefit fund for active priests and seminarians within the Archdiocese with stop-loss coverage. The Archdiocese invoices parishes, Catholic schools and other Catholic entities based on clergy assignments and pays benefit providers directly for any claims. Priest Benefits generated income of $130,000 in 2020 and a loss of $100,000 in 2019. The income in the current year was the result of fewer medical visits of priests due to COVID-19. The results of the Priest Benefits program fluctuate annually based on the claims and is designed to be a break-even program and has been over time.
FINANCIAL POSITION
Total Operating Revenue in fiscal year 2020 was $29.0 million, up from $20.2 million in fiscal year 2019. The increase is primarily due to the $9.6 million in estate gifts recorded at year-end, offset by decreases in Parish Assessments, Fees and Program Revenues, Investment Income and Other Income. Parish Assessments, our primary source of revenue, decreased by slightly over $200,000 from 2019. The decrease is a result of the almost $1 million assessment discount provided by the Archdiocese to support parishes in the fourth quarter of 2020 due to their pandemic-related financial challenges. Parish Assessments are generated from the 186 parishes within the Archdiocese and are calculated and billed on a two-year lag, which means the parish financial results for the years ending June 30, 2018, and 2017 formed the basis for the parish assessment revenue for the years ended June 30, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
Net Assets of the Archdiocese were approximately $19.9 million as of June 30, 2020, as compared to $17.1 million on June 30, 2019. The increase was due to the $2.8 million surplus during the fiscal year. The total cash balance as of June 30, 2020, was $9.1 million, an increase of $2.5 million from June 30, 2019. Approximately $1.6 million of the increase was provided by operations, $948,000 was provided from financing activities, which included $1,980,300 in PPP Loan proceeds, and $1,032,000 used to pay down debt, mainly the $1 million Note Payable Bankruptcy Settlement, and $241,000 was used to purchase fixed asset in the normal course of business. The cash balance consists of $7 million of Cash Without Donor Restrictions, $1 million of Board Designated Cash, and Cash With Donor Restriction of $1.1 million. The Board Designated Cash represents funds set aside for the payment of the second of five annual payments of $1 million to repay the $5 million Note Payable Bankruptcy Settlement. The other significant changes to the balance sheet as of June 30, 2020, include the $9.6 million Estate Gift Receivable and the Paycheck Protection Program Loan of nearly $2 million.
OPERATING EXPENSE
LOOKING FORWARD
REVENUE
Our Operating Expense Before Special Issues Expense in 2020 totaled $18.8 million, as compared to $19.3 million in 2019, a decrease of 2.5%. This decrease primarily resulted from reductions in the following significant expense items: imputed rental expense, the absence in 2020 of the biannual assembly of priests that occurred in 2019, fewer priests taking paid leave and fewer outreach projects in our archdiocese’s mission parish in Venezuela. These reductions were partially offset by increases in external accounting services offered to the parishes and the upcoming synod. Overall decreases in other areas resulted from our continued focus on good stewardship of the funds provided to us to operate the Catholic Center.
NON-OPERATING ACTIVITY: GENERAL INSURANCE PROGRAM The General Insurance Program of the Archdiocese provides comprehensive, uniform
As I reflect on fiscal year 2020 and the impact of the pandemic on this Archdiocese, I am thankful for all of you women and men who have been generous, not only with monetary contributions to support our parishes and schools, but of those who have remained hopeful and understanding during these new and difficult circumstances. I am also grateful to the parish and school staffs who have persevered and taken on greater responsibility during the pandemic, and the priests, deacons and religious who have continued their ministry to serve the Church in time of great hardships and suffering. It is with great trust in our Lord’s providence and guidance that we continue to move forward as an archdiocese, to serve amid the ongoing pandemic and unrest. I am confident that if we all continue to work together for the common good of the Church, we can make great progress toward our mission of making Jesus Christ known and loved in our local Church and beyond.
FINANCIAL REPORT
DECEMBER 17, 2020
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SAINT PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SAINT PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS Chancery Corporation • Statements of Financial Position As of June 30, 2020 and 2019
Chancery Corporation • Statements of Activities Years Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019
2020 (Audited)
2019 (Unaudited)
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 18
Assets Cash - Without Donor Restriction & Board Designated $11,983,565 $2,528,413 Cash - With Donor Restriction 14,397,351 14,599,007 Contributions Receivable, Net of Allowances 2,542,185 2,710,682 Estate Gift Receivable 4,163 107,900 Accounts Receivables, Net of Allowances 103,500 241,000 Loans Receivable 29,030,764 20,187,002 Investments with Donor Restrictions Beneficial Interest in Perpetual Trusts OPERATING EXPENSE General Insurance Program Assets Program Services: Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets Catholic Education 867,124 933,375 Land, Property and Equipment, Net Central Services 5,024,142 4,876,621 Total Assets Clergy Services 4,842,315 5,007,836 Communications 1,929,255 1,881,250 Liabilities and Net Assets Community Services 112,926 83,261 Evangelization and Catechesis 313,381 317,139 Liabilities Marriage, Family and Life 979,432 958,789 Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Post-Petition Parish Services and Outreach 1,421,580 1,835,614 General Insurance - Claims Payable and Other Liabilities Latino Ministries 449,255 495,503 Amounts Held for Others Under Agency Transactions Total Program Services 15,939,410 16,389,388 Deferred Revenue General and Administrative 2,650,175 2,648,180 Reserve for Priest Benefit Claims Stewardship and Development 226,905 255,386 Paycheck Protection Program Loan Total Support Services 2,877,080 2,903,566 Lease Payable Other Liabilities Total Operating Expense before Special Issues Expense 18,816,490 19,292,954 Deferred Rent Change in Net Assets from Operations before Special Issues Expense 10,214,274 894,048 Note Payable Bankruptcy Settlement Special Issues Expense (801,123) Total Liabilities Change in Net Assets from Operations 10,214,274 1,695,171 Net Assets NON-OPERATING ACTIVITY Gain on Sale of Assets — 3,395,470 Without Donor Restrictions – Undesignated General Insurance Program Revenue — 10,101,680 Without Donor Restrictions – Designated General Insurance Program Expense (7,532,506) (8,506,485) With Donor Restrictions Priest Benefits Revenue 3,087,145 3,056,286 Restricted by Time or Purpose Priest Benefits Expense (2,958,228) (3,156,011) Restricted in Perpetuity Change in Net Assets from Non-Operating Activities (7,403,589) 4,890,940 Total Net Assets CHANGES IN NET ASSETS $2,810,685 $6,586,111 Total Liabilities and Net Assets Net Assets - Beginning of Year 17,070,761 10,484,650 NET ASSETS - END OF YEAR $19,881,446 $17,070,761 OPERATING REVENUE Contributions Parish Assessments Fees and Program Revenues Investment Income, Net Other Income Operating Revenue
Supporting the Church’s mission The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis serves Catholics and the greater 12-county Twin Cities community. The following narrative briefly explains the function of each department and its operating expense for FY 2020. Total department expense below includes allocations of depreciation, occupancy and archbishop expenses.
uCatholic Education — $867,124 The Office for the Mission of Catholic Education (OMCE) provides vision, support and direction to those who teach in the name of the Church within the Archdiocese so they can achieve their mission to proclaim Christ and form authentic disciples of Jesus Christ. The Office primarily serves Catholic schools and parish catechetical programs. By establishing a shared vision for quality and excellence in Catholic education under the leadership of the Archbishop, the OMCE is focused on assisting parishes and Catholic schools partnering with parents in forming a new generation of Catholic students. uCentral Services — $5,024,142 The Department of Central Services provides support and services to the Archdiocesan staff and the parishes. The department includes the offices of the chancellors for civil and canonical affairs, information technology services, the metropolitan tribunal, human resources and benefits, records and archives, the office of financial standards and parish accounting. Also covered in this category are the payment of assessments to the Minnesota Catholic Conference and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. uClergy Services — $4,842,315 The role of this office is to provide support and formation for priests and deacons in all aspects of ministry and pastoral care. Services provided by this office include the following: Seminary Formation: There are currently 51 men in formation for the priesthood for service of our Archdiocese. While the number changes throughout the discernment process, our Archdiocese has one of the largest enrollments of seminarians of any diocese in the country. The Archdiocese funds the medical and dental insurance coverage of the seminarians at The St. Paul Seminary, as well as the tuition, room and board of those attending the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Center for Clergy Formation: Institute of Ongoing Formation for Clergy and the Institute of Diaconate Formation comprise the Center for Clergy Formation. Each entity of the center provides an integrated approach to priestly and diaconate formation, including gatherings and support for newly ordained priests and deacons, programs to
assist new pastors in their role and ongoing formation opportunities for priests and deacons throughout the Archdiocese. Continuing Education: This includes continuing education opportunities, a sabbatical program, international enculturation and the biennial presbyteral assembly. Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment: The mission of the Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment is to work with our community to prevent the sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults through a number of initiatives including implementing abuse prevention programs, immediately reporting allegations of abuse to law enforcement or child/adult protection officials and cooperating fully with their investigations, and helping those affected by abuse in their healing journey. Priest Support: This includes support for priests who are not in ministry due to personal health issues or a leave of absence, and those who have been permanently removed from ministry who do not have other means of support. Chaplaincies: There are several priests in full- or part-time ministry at hospitals and correctional facilities throughout the Archdiocese who are supported by the Archdiocese. There are many other priests throughout the Archdiocese who provide pastoral care at health care, correctional facilities or schools, either as a ministry of their parish or through their outreach work. They offer the sacraments and spiritual support during some of the most difficult times in people’s lives. Last year, thousands of people throughout our community were served by chaplains. Specialized Ministries: This includes the Office of Vocations, support for international clergy and support for retired clergy, which includes the operation of the Leo C. Byrne Residence for retired priests. uCommunications — $1,929,255 The Office of Communications helps convey the teachings of the Church and fosters communications between the Archdiocese and the faithful, parish and school leaders and staff, and others in our community. It does this through The Catholic Spirit, multiple websites, social media, e-newsletters, printing service and other communications. The office also conducts media consultation and training for clergy, parishes and other representatives of the Archdiocese, and works with secular TV and radio stations, as well as print and online publications. uCommunity Services — $112,926 The Archdiocese helps men, women and children most in need within our local community, including the poor, hungry and homeless. uEvangelization — $313,381 The Office of Evangelization seeks to bring each person into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, equip them as a missionary disciple and help them more fully participate in the mission of the Church, to “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.” The office is dedicated to assisting and serving the evangelization efforts of the
2020 (Audited)
2019 (Audited)
$7,986,235 1,120,493 525,303 9,617,810 2,863,669 669,066 1,064,216 1,424,738 — 183,642 3,285,124 $28,740,296
$5,422,915 1,196,721 212,263 — 3,481,624 675,066 1,123,737 1,490,207 12,881,854 185,006 3,371,001 $30,040,394
1,722,193 — 247,606 262,012 266,056 1,980,300 33,929 196,433 150,321 4,000,000 8,858,850
1,810,479 5,349,348 182,129 199,011 — — 50,171 212,733 165,762 5,000,000 12,969,633
5,486,755 10,617,810
12,269,424 1,000,000
2,114,993 1,661,888 19,881,446
2,073,980 1,727,357 17,070,761
$28,740,296
$30,040,394
parish, with a particular focus on young adults, while also reaching those who do not yet know the love of Jesus. It also provides ministries for men, women, grandparents and young adults. uLatino Ministries — $449,255 The Office of Latino Ministry serves the Spanish-speaking faithful and leadership at 24 parishes across the Archdiocese through outreach and diverse programs. Areas of emphasis include evangelization and formation, with programs and events like International Women’s Day and biblical, catechetical and pastoral leadership institutes. The office focuses much of its outreach on families and youth by providing and supporting pro-life activities, marriage retreats, and local and national youth conferences. Special days of celebration of the faith and family, and the annual Mass of Solidarity are also overseen by this office to provide opportunities of encounter for people of all ethnicities and nationalities. uMarriage, Family and Life — $979,432 This Office of Marriage, Family and Life assists the laity and parishes through programs supporting marriage preparation, family education programming, respect life, pro-life groups, biomedical ethics and outreach for people with disabilities. The office also sponsors the annual Archdiocesan Youth Day that brings together hundreds of local high-school-aged teens to praise God, grow in the faith and find fellowship. In addition, this office helps coordinate local representatives attending World Youth Day, the National Catholic Youth Conference, the National March for Life and other youth events. Parish Services and Outreach — $1,421,580 The Office of Parish Services provides consultation, planning and leadership development opportunities to parishes throughout the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese supports outreach ministry to various groups and members of the Archdiocesan community, including Indian ministry, the Venezuelan mission, the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, and other groups and coalitions.
SUPPORT SERVICES uGeneral and Administrative — $2,650,175 The offices of the retired archbishops, auxiliary bishop, vicar general, accounting, finance and general administration are included in the General and Administrative category. Over half of this category of expense supports salaries and benefits of staff. uStewardship and Development — $226,905 This office works with parishes and Catholic schools to help grow a culture of stewardship in local communities and to support parish and school development efforts. The office also engages in outreach to benefactors who wish to support specific ministries or programs of the Archdiocesan Catholic Center.
Christmas Guide
DECEMBER 17, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 19
12 Days of Christmas — with a twist! By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit
M
ost everyone is familiar with the 12 Days of Christmas, that popular carol with its partridge in a pear tree, five golden rings, 11 ladies dancing and 12 lords a-leaping. Here are some ideas for filling out those 12 days, from the birth of our Lord celebrated Dec. 25 to the Magi visiting the Holy Family and paying homage to Christ at Epiphany Jan. 6: uFirst Day of Christmas — Celebrate Jesus’ birth quietly at home by watching a moving account of Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem, the three Wise Men, treacherous King Herod and shepherds in the field. One option: “The Nativity Story,” 2006, with Keisha Castle-Hughes as Mary and Oscar Isaac as Joseph. uSecond Day of Christmas — Drive or walk the neighborhood to gaze at Christmas light displays. Some households are going all-out this year to reflect the light of Christ and safely make the season bright in the midst of a pandemic. Or drive to the nearest city light display and admire the work of community leaders. One to mark this year is “Wintertime in Stillwater,” with all 90 main street buildings, Chestnut Street concourse and the south side of the lift bridge over the St. Croix River lit up with LED lighting. The plaza includes music synchronized to color-changing lights with an open invitation to walk through and enjoy. The bridge and buildings will be lit up through March, with the plaza display converting to red hearts for Valentine’s Day and green shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day. uThird Day of Christmas — Time again to visit the neighbors! Why not strike out caroling? Socially distanced, bundled against the cold, sharing the joy of the season. It’ll be a surprise for those more accustomed to pre-Christmas caroling. Pick hymns that reflect the reality of Christ’s presence, which never fades, such as “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Joy to the World,” “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “The Little Drummer Boy.” uFourth Day of Christmas — Back in the house, so make a gingerbread house! This family project takes skill in the oven, lots of frosting, little candies and even some architectural savvy. Perhaps display it in the front window for a few days, strung with miniature, blinking lights that seem to wink at passersby. uFifth Day of Christmas — Don’t forget the Scriptures. Share readings from the beginning of each Gospel. How are they similar? How is John’s Gospel dramatically different from the others? Why? Reference books and open discussion can make this a fascinating look at how the Evangelists share their knowledge of Christ, and some of the length and breadth of his love.
uSixth Day of Christmas — Time to bake some more. Christmas cookies are gone, eaten and enjoyed already! Break out the pans and mixing bowls and make sugar, gingerbread, white chocolate chip and cranberry cookies. Perfect snack before rushing out the door to enjoy whatever weather winter brings. Share with Grandma and Grandpa, neighbors and friends via a socially distanced dropoff! uSeventh Day of Christmas — Crosscountry skis, hiking boots, sleds and toboggans? It all depends on the weather and the inclination, but the only way to enjoy winter is to be out in the cold and snow. Quiet visits also can be paid to area parks, lakes and trails. The swirl of a snowflake or the rustle of a leaf far past fall can bring peace and comfort, joy and gratitude. uEighth Day of Christmas — An early riser? A late-night browser? Be the one in the household to rustle up some breakfast or set out the late-night snack. It’s simple, easy and a beautiful way to serve the family or friends sharing so much time together. Add a silent prayer or share it with loved ones, asking the Lord for protection and continued strength to do his will in all things. uNinth Day of Christmas — Service to family, neighbors and people in need are important markers on the road to salvation. In this Christmas season, set a day aside as a family or as an individual to make a difference through the parish, a social service agency or meeting a particular need of someone nearby. Talk and plan the day before setting out; make prayer part of the preparation. uTenth Day of Christmas — Fun night. Game night. Scrabble, Yahtzee, Monopoly, pool, pingpong, Chutes and Ladders! Pick one and play one. Play two! Set up a tournament, or even a multinight tournament. Gentle competition can bring people together in special ways. And it’s something to look forward to if the days seem to get long! uEleventh Day of Christmas — Did we have movie night yet? No!? Well, how about relaxing with a fun holiday film, such as “Elf,” “A Christmas Carol” or “A Christmas Story?” Christmas season classics also include “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street.” uTwelfth Day of Christmas — It’s over too soon! Celebrate Epiphany with Mass safely in church or safely at home via livestream. Savor the day by re-reading the story in the Gospel of Matthew, not just one more time but several times. How did the Wise Men know to visit Jesus? What did Herod ask of them? Who did they listen to in the end — Herod? Or was there another voice, an interceder? What voice should we listen to when we are given different sets of advice? How can we discern the wisest course of action? Lay worries and needs, gifts and gratitude at Christ’s manger. And follow God’s light into the New Year.
CHRISTMASTIDE ONLINE My, oh my: There’s more! Tips on putting the final bow on a very special, faith-filled Christmas can be found at TheCatholicSpirit.com. Look for the following: uA ‘homemade’ Christmas uRemembering those in need uSee the world — and Christmas Mass — without leaving home
COURTESY TODD ROST, DIVINE MERCY
CHRISTMAS CHEER Santa Claus (Divine Mercy parish administrator Phillip Parrish) joins about 150 friends and family of the Andrea and Jeremy Gibbs family for a Dec. 5 evening of Advent hymns and Christmas carols at the Milestone memory care and senior living facility in Faribault. Andrea said she and her husband canceled their annual holiday house party because of COVID-19 but still wanted to gather safely, and this year, provide small gifts, songs and company for elderly members of their parish and others at Milestone. The evening went so well, Andrea said, that her family plans to make a night of caroling part of their annual party.
Making Christmas bright for isolated elders Families often gather with grandma and grandpa for Christmas, but not this year. With their increased risk of complications from COVID-19, older adults have good reason not to host guests. But even when families are physically distant, they need to connect, said nurse practitioner Teresa Tawil, who cares for patients in assisted living and long-term care facilities and is a member of St. Raphael in Crystal. Creativity this year is worth the effort, she said. Family members could sing carols outside their loved ones’ homes, perhaps through an open window or using their cell phones, Tawil said. She sings
ARCHBISHOP HEBDA REFLECTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
that you saw a star. … That waiting for a star was a wonderful way to finish Advent.” Archbishop Hebda said his mother made lots of wonderful food for the Christmas Eve dinner, including some of her Irish favorites, but also Polish dishes like pierogi. After the meal came an annual adventure in the form of a mini road trip through parts of the city. “My parents would pile us into the car and we would go out to a section of Pittsburgh where the families would put out the luminaria,” he recalled. “It was always a challenge because even though it’s not as cold and windy as it is in Minnesota, Pittsburgh is cold in its own right. Always, it seemed like on Christmas Eve the wind would blow, and people would be running out time and time again to light the luminaria.” He said the annual drive through Pittsburgh “was always a big deal for us,” and the finishing point for the day was coming home to open gifts. As he grew older, he became an altar server, which meant that Christmas Eve ended with Midnight Mass. He said every altar server took part, with sometimes up to 50 or 60 servers for the Mass. Perhaps, the most unusual tradition was the planting of what he called “St. Lucy’s wheat.” It was done on her feast day Dec. 13 to recognize this Italian saint, who was martyred in the
by telephone to her mother, who has dementia. She said it is easier for her mother to remember words to carols and prayers than hold a conversation. Tawil also prays the rosary during calls — saying and singing some of the words and adding a little narrative to “make it come alive.” Sending a card is good, too, Tawil said. It involves a tactile sense and builds a memory, a bond to the soul, she said. Add a photo and an update on family members and friends. “We’re trying to build … memories and bonds, and … it’s about relationships.” — Barb Umberger fourth century during the persecution of Christians by the Roman Emperor Diocletian, and later was credited with the arrival of boats filled with wheat during a famine in Sicily in 1582. “I didn’t know anything about wheat or anything about growing,” Archbishop Hebda said, “but always on the feast of St. Lucy, we would start to plant this wheat, and it would always come up (sprout) for Christmas.” He said such hands-on traditions were valuable for him in learning about the waiting and anticipation of the Advent season, and he noted that Jesus likewise used concrete examples in his parables to teach his followers important points of the Gospel. That’s why Archbishop Hebda believes simple practices are so good for families. He recommends that couples starting their own families establish Advent and Christmas traditions much like what he experienced in his own childhood. The simplicity of such activities is beautiful and instructive. Giving each child a specific role to play helps them engage even more, he said. “I think, especially, the Advent wreath and the Advent calendar are two really easy ways” to experience the Advent season, he said. “I think what’s important is … to be able to create traditions for the family, so that when their son is the archbishop in some strange place 50 years from now, that he’s able to talk about the way his parents helped him to observe Advent.”
Christmas Guide
20 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DECEMBER 17, 2020
Twenty-nine icons by iconographer Judy Symalla are featured in an exhibit at ArtReach Gallery in Stillwater through Jan. 2, including three large icons illustrating the Incarnation — titled “Journey to Bethlehem,” “Incarnation of Christ” and “Epiphany.” COURTESY JUDY SYMALLA
Exhibit’s Incarnation icons filled with symbols of Christ’s birth By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit
J
udy Symalla said she may seem the least likely person to become an iconographer. After all, in college she was a math major with a business minor. But she always had a creative streak. “I can do any of the crafty (things),” she said. “ I crochet. I tat. I’ve built furniture.” She was an avid quilter and managed a quilting shop. “But (iconography) is my first opportunity to create in which I was truly glorifying God,” she said. “And that’s why I knew I just had to give up everything else and do this.” Her passion for iconography led to creating about 60 icons over the past seven years. That passion plus a love of Christmas resulted in three large icons illustrating the Incarnation. Titled “Journey to Bethlehem,” “Incarnation of Christ” and “Epiphany,” they form the centerpiece in an exhibit of 29 icons underway at a Stillwater gallery. Each Incarnation icon measures 24 inches by 32 inches, which she believes would be a good size for display in a church. A typical icon measuring 8 by 10 inches or 9 by 11 inches may take about 60 hours to create, she said. The three Incarnation icons took significantly more time, including months of research and time to develop the sketches because they were her own design. Symalla copies traditional ones and creates her own. “So much had to be considered to make sure of the beauty and elegance as well as really pointing to theological
truths that’ll bring people closer to God,” she said. An Artist Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board funded creation of the Incarnation icons. Symalla, 56, a parishioner of St. Michael in Stillwater, values the ancient technique for creating Byzantine iconography, but incorporates a Western perspective, which she said JUDY SYMALLA enables her to create something true and beautiful. Iconography has traditionally been a more common artform in the Orthodox Church and Eastern rite Catholic churches, but it is growing in popularity within the Western tradition. Very few, if any, icons of the journey to Bethlehem have been made in the Orthodox tradition, she said. “And they typically won’t show Mary with a swollen belly,” she said, as hers does. Instead, an artist may use a small figure of Christ on the belly, she said. “So this was … a whole new concept that I think we all relate to very well — the beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pregnant, riding a donkey.” Symbolism is omnipresent in icons. For example, in Symalla’s depiction of the journey to Bethlehem, a light from heaven shines on Mary’s belly, representing Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit. She said Joseph’s miraculous blooming staff signifies he was God’s choice to be betrothed to Mary. She calls the image “very pro-life.”
And with the figures having an angel, the message is there’s “no need to worry.” The three Wise Men also is not a widely known icon, she said. “In color and design, I tried to make it more accessible to a viewer (who) may not be familiar with the ancient icon, as a way to bring them into understanding iconography,” she said. Symalla learned about Byzantine iconography during an intensive weeklong workshop with a master iconographer. She honed her skills during other workshops and training, and studying the work of icon masters from antiquity. Creating or “writing” icons for Symalla always starts with research. She recently chose St. Anthony of Padua for an icon because she considers him her “good friend.” Before creating the icon, she read about him. “All I really knew about him was that he found what I lost,” she said. “And him finding stuff was just a way to lead me to him.” Learning his background, including his role as a doctor of the Church and a great orator, helped Symalla use the proper symbols. She looks to see what might be available in iconography for a particular scene. With everything in an icon having a specific meaning, “I try to pick the elements that I think are true to the Church’s teaching,” she said. Symalla uses traditional materials, including egg tempera on the gessoed boards, providing a luminosity she believes would not be possible from any other medium. “We have the light coming forth all the way from the board,” she said. A
SEE FOR YOURSELF Symalla’s “Symbolic Lights” iconography exhibit at the ArtReach Gallery, 224 N. Fourth St. in Stillwater, runs through Jan. 2. Hours through Dec. 23, Dec. 26-31 and Jan. 2 are noon–4 p.m. Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and noon–7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. Christmas Eve: 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. No reservation needed, but social distancing and gallery attendance limits visitors to 10 or fewer at one time. The gallery is adjacent to a gift shop featuring work of local artists. Call the studio with questions: 651-439-1465. For more information or to view videos of the icons on display, visit stcroixiconography.org/symbolic-lights. liquid clay is allowed to harden, then is sanded and burnished to a mirror finish. “Then we breathe on it,” Symalla said, which allows the 24 carat gold she uses to stick. “What’s beautiful about that process is, just as God’s breath breathed into us can soften a hard heart, we are softening the clay to accept the gold,” she said. While writing her second icon, she started the St. Croix Catholic Iconographers Guild, where she serves as director. Founded to help students like herself continue learning between workshops, it has grown to more than 100 members. Symalla considers the icons a form of prayer, “but they also give me an opportunity to share Christ with others.”